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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262583">The Aftermath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosebud1773/pseuds/Rosebud1773'>Rosebud1773</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Welcome to the Snark Side: A Shakarian Trip [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Sex, Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood and Gore, Drama, Epic, Epic Battles, Epic Friendship, Epic Love, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Gunshot Wounds, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Love, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Oral Sex, Romance, Shower Sex, Vaginal Sex, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:27:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>83,892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosebud1773/pseuds/Rosebud1773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is over. Shepard saved us all. She beat the odds and sent the Reapers back to hell. It's time to rebuild. Rebuild our worlds, our galactic society... our lives. As the rest of the galaxy looks to the future with new hope, I'm wondering... are you out there somewhere? Did you somehow survive? It is... an <i>awfully empty</i> galaxy... without <i>you.</i></p><p>- Garrus Vakarian</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>EDI &amp; Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, James Vega/Original Female Turian Character(s), Kal'Reegar/Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, Nihlus Kryik/Solana Vakarian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Welcome to the Snark Side: A Shakarian Trip [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>141</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Red Wave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So it begins...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the rounds left her pistol, she felt the presence of all the friends she’d lost along the way. Anderson, she wasn’t sure he was gone, but there was very little chance of surviving that gunshot and she knew it. Thane, gone, but certainly not forgotten. His was a soothing and soulful presence.</p><p>Each shot that connected with the glass blew flames and mini explosions at her now. Garrus, she felt his presence as well and what little hope was left in her all but died. She didn’t know if he had survived his injuries or not. He might still be fighting for his life, for all she knew. Feeling him there now might be her mind grasping for the last shreds of safety. His ever present security strengthened her resolve as she pushed forward.</p><p>“I’ll meet you at the bar, lover….” Shepard whispered as the last round left the barrel of her pistol.</p><p>The red conduit shattered and she threw her hand up to shield her face. The explosive fireball rushed toward her, engulfing her and throwing her backward. She hit something hard and solid, the flames searing her flesh as she was thrown free of the blast.</p><p>Darkness claimed her, enveloping her like a suffocating blanket.</p><p>*</p><p>Joker glared out at the Citadel as the red plume blossomed from its center. He adjusted and compensated for the solar winds that shifted around them. There was a disturbance in the system’s gravity well, a sort of flux, but he compensated for that too. He was determined to stay put as long as possible. <em>Shepard’s gonna need a pick-up before that thing blows. We gotta be here. Just gotta wait for her call</em>.</p><p><em>~All fleets, the Crucible is armed. Disengage and head to the rendezvous point.~ </em>came Hackett’s orders over the comm. <em>~I repeat; disengage and get the hell outa here.~</em></p><p>Joker ignored the orders, determined to remain within range to pick Shepard up. There was no way he was going to leave her. She’d beat the odds before. He knew she could do it again. <em>She has to…</em></p><p>“Jeff… we have to leave. We will be destroyed if we remain. Shepard would not want that to happen.” EDI said at his shoulder after he shrugged her first touch off.</p><p>Considering his options for a moment as he dropped his hands from the console before him, Joker ran a hand over his mouth. The word was a sigh of resignation when it came. “<em>Dammit</em>…”</p><p>Normandy’s pilot sat staring at the controls for a few seconds blinking hard to control the sting around his eyes. He reached for the console again and looked away as he shifted their course. A ragged breath escaped him as he keyed in the jump to FTL. <em>This isn’t right! We’re abandoning her!</em></p><p>The calculations scrolling along the side of his console predicted they might not make it to the relay at the outer edge of the system.The Crucible would finish whatever it was that it was doing before they made it past Saturn.</p><p>Reports started flooding his screen of Reapers dropping, Reaper forces being vaporized, by that red wave when it hit them. All higher tech was shorting out everywhere. His eyes trailed toward EDI, who had resumed her seat across from him. <em>Please let Kryik’s algorithm protect her</em>. That was the only coherent thought he allowed to surface in the race to beat the wave. That roiling mass of destruction was rapidly advancing on them.</p><p>They didn’t so much <em>drop</em> out of FTL as they were <em>kicked</em> out of it when the red wave finally hit them, rolling through the ship like a ripple of heat. The console beneath his hands shorted out, throwing sparks toward his face as it flickered and went dark. The entire ship followed it in a rolling blackout all around him. Joker heard EDI issue a warbling tone before her visor cut out.</p><p>Artificial gravity was a thing, he realized. Without the primary systems running to control it, Joker was forced to rely on his harness to remain in his seat. Normandy took a steep nose-dive toward the atmosphere of a small planet. He thought it might be one of Saturn’s moons racing up to meet them. <em>Titan, maybe?</em> There was no doubt it was going to be a hard hit. He braced himself, buckling the harness quickly. The thought was to warn the crew to brace for impact. Without power, he had no way to do so.</p><p>“Shit, shit, shit.....” Joker breathed in a sing-song, reminiscent of his run past the Collectors.</p><p>The ship roared through the upper atmosphere, gaining speed as it descended. He kicked the manual controls, wishing a thousand times the aeronautic engineers had mastered a better way to slow an airborne vessel. They might as well have been a falling brick with as much control as he actually had. The small flaps designed to drag through the air extended all over the ship.</p><p>The impact, when it came, was still bone shattering. His head banged off the back of his seat and he followed the Normandy into darkness.</p><p>*</p><p>Shepard sat on a bench in a sparse woods she knew all too well. The shadows were still present, but of the catalyst-child, there was no sign. She realized this place must be somewhere between life and death. <em>Why else would I keep coming back here?</em></p><p>“This <em>isn’t</em> the bar.” she murmured to herself with a sigh and leaned on her elbows.</p><p>The shadows on the trails ahead were silent, for a change. No angry or lost souls accusing or begging her to finish what she'd started. They knew, as she did, it was done. Only the quiet sift of ashes filled the air. The faint crackle of some distant fire could be heard just over that rasping whisper. Even the Reaper, that seemed to always trumpet in the distance, was silent.</p><p>Glancing off into the distance then, she realized that Reaper was completely absent now. The threat was gone. Even the sky seemed to be clearing beyond the forest. Bright stars were beginning to dance in a silken curtain of night.</p><p>Like a sigh of air through the forest, a new sound breathed across her face. The faint sound echoed off the trees around her. The sound of a child’s laughter, familiar and yet distinctly different. Shepard cringed, fully expecting to catch sight of the Catalyst-child running off before her. More precisely, the boy she had failed to save on Earth so long ago. She knew that child would likely haunt her for all of eternity.</p><p>“You know you’re in hell, right?” Shepard sighed quietly to herself. She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut against the weight of emotion bearing down on her shoulders. With a resigned nod, she whispered to herself again. “This is it for you. <em>Alone</em>, haunted by your failings.... That’s what hell is.”</p><p><em>~You have to go back… Daddy</em> <em>needs you.~</em> the faintly flanged voice of a child spoke to her.</p><p><em>~This place is not for </em><em><b>you</b></em>…<em>. </em><em><b>We</b></em> <em>need you....~ </em>a second voice joined the first, equally flanged and turian sounding.</p><p>At that, Shepard opened her eyes again. She sat back in shock looking around for the source. There were no children, but there was a pair of small shadow figures off to her right. They were close enough that they could very well have been the source. She knew the place like the back of her hand. In every nightmarish scenario that she had found herself here, there were no children save the Catalyst brat. Only shadows roamed those woods, nothing more.</p><p>Shepard leaned forward a little when she spotted a distinctly turian figure sitting on an identical park bench a few yards away. Trying to get a better look at him, she got cautiously to her feet. He looked familiar. The curve of his crest, the tapering of the blades of his fringe, everything. She couldn’t see his colony markings from this distance. Her heart cried out at his slightly blurred appearance, however. She knew him as well as she knew herself. <em>What’s he doing here?</em></p><p>Her eyes tried to confirm the idea that this was Garrus and she shied away from that. She knew there was only one sure way for him to step into this realm; he had to be dead. That was a concept she refused to accept. She’d pushed so hard, sacrificed so very much to ensure he had a chance to live out the rest of his days in peace. To find him here, on one of the benches meant he hadn’t made it.</p><p>Shepard realized she had to go to him. She knew that. It was the only way to be sure. The kids she could find later. Settling her nagging curiosity was her top priority. This place, she knew, had no beginning or ending, after all. It was infinite, eternal.</p><p>A ragged half-sob of grief tore through her when she saw his face in profile. The deep blue of his markings, as familiar as the creases in the palms of her hands. Garrus sat there looking confused and disoriented in his blue and yellow undersuit. She knew he had to be wondering where the bar was. They’d promised they would meet at the bar if things ended poorly for them. Storming heaven, that’s what they were meant to be doing if they both ended up there now. Instead of lingering on that sharp point of emotional turmoil, Shepard stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. He felt real, but barely there somehow.</p><p>“You have to wake up, Garrus....” she whispered to him. When his only response was to bow his head and squeeze his eyes shut, she said his name again. “Garrus....”</p><p>*</p><p>“You have to wake up, Garrus....” Shepard's voice seemed to whisper to him as if from a great distance.</p><p>Eyes squeezing shut, Garrus bowed his head and refused to face the possibilities surrounding him for several long seconds. He couldn’t. If he did, then she was dead and he didn’t want to confront a life without her. Some part of his soul knew he had yet to release his tenuous hold on life.</p><p>“Garrus....” Shepard's voice was followed by the feel of her hand on his shoulder. The sensation was misty, cold, barely there. Shepard's touch had never felt like that.</p><p><em>If this is the afterlife, it must be hell</em>, he thought as he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. <em>And if is... I'm ok with that... so long as we're together.</em> He’d honestly thought he was awake, but this wasn’t the port lounge. What he sat on wasn’t the floor or even one of the couches, but a park bench surrounded by sparse woods. Groups of shadows drifted along just at the edge of sight. His mandibles drew tight to his face in confusion.</p><p>Shepard’s grip tightened a fraction as she squeezed his shoulder. Her voice was pleading when she spoke again. “<em>Please</em>, Garrus, you have to <em>wake up</em>. This place.....you just <em>can’t </em>be here… not <em>now</em>.”</p><p>Blood freezing, Garrus dared not move to look behind him. Her hand didn’t feel right. It felt hot and cold at once. The creak of withered joints whispered in his ears as she gripped his shoulder. There were a great many things his shattered mind might show him in the shadows of that woods. Some of them he didn’t wish to see.</p><p>Finally, Garrus realized he <em>had</em> to see her. He couldn’t bear the idea of waking up from this dream, even if it became a nightmare, without seeing her face one last time. Turning, he put his arm over the back of the bench and slowly raised his eyes. He took in the blackened, cracked and melted armor across her chest. His eyes trailed upward toward her collar and he saw the red and blistered flesh peaking just above it. His gasp was barely suppressed at the sight of her face. The face he had come to adore was burnt and blistered with black streaks smeared across it. Her right eye was gone, the flesh fused in a mass of melted, raw and blistered ridges. The ear on that side was little more than a fused mess of over cooked meat.</p><p>As his eyes trailed further, toward the mass of hair he had delighted in so often, he realized it was gone. Every last strand, burned away. Her scalp was red and blistered. The same black streaks criss-crossing it as well. The understanding that those were char marks crept across his mind like thick, oily smoke.</p><p>“<em>Shepard..</em>..” he whispered, his voice cracked and shook in an effort to control the keen welling up within his chest.</p><p>Shepard knelt down next to him, one hand on his shoulder, the other draped over the bench. Her right hand was skeletal and blackened. Her gun hand, he realized even as she spoke to him again. “The crew <em>needs</em> you, Garrus. There's nobody I trust more to take my place.”</p><p>“<em>No...</em>” Garrus half moaned, a deep throated keen emphasizing his distress. “<em>No</em>, Shepard. I <em>can't</em>.... You're <em>coming back</em>.”</p><p>“Not this time, lover.” Shepard smiled sadly, the blistered skin around her mouth pulling as if on the edge of tearing open. She shook her head ever so slightly as she locked her one good eye on him. Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “I think this is the end of the line. For <em>me</em> anyway.”</p><p>“Shepard, I <em>can't </em>do this. You're <em>not </em>dead. You can’t be… I <em>refuse</em> to believe it.... not with…” Garrus denied her words to his very core. He waved a hand weakly toward her belly, but couldn’t bring himself to put voice to the conclusion he had drawn from all the clues. “You're coming back. You wouldn't <em>disobey</em> a direct order....would you?”</p><p>“Insubordinate...,” she sighed tiredly, but there was humor and something akin to hope in her single eye. She squeezed his shoulder. “Not yet, lover.... But I'm walking in both worlds..... and so are <em>you</em>.”</p><p>“What do you mean....,” the words turned to ash in his mouth as pain, the first he’d felt in this limbo world, swamped his senses. The world around him faded away, drifting toward the black of oblivion.</p><p>*</p><p>The turian cringed, a sudden shiver passing through his entire body and Shepard’s hand slipped through his shoulder. Her eyes widened as her hand hit the park bench. She wasn’t precisely sure what was happening as his form transitioned from solid to something much less. His eyes locked with hers the instant he faded completely from that realm of ash and darkness.</p><p>Remaining there for a moment, the commander rested her forehead on the back of that bench. The realization that he must have awakened brought a faint smile to her lips as she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she realized it was time to attempt to find those children. She had questions that they might know the answers to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Distractions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus is desperate to distract himself from the very real possibility that Shepard might actually be gone for good this time.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tissues....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus took a shaky breath as his eyes opened slowly. His rational mind was at war with his desperate hope. <em>Was it a dream? It felt so real… </em><em><b>She</b></em> <em>felt real… sounded real too.</em> <em>Spirits… the wounds..</em>. He knew if it <em>had</em> been real, then she was at the brink of death. There was nothing he could do to help her, no way he could reach her. He wasn’t even sure where they were. The damage to the ship might be so excessive that they’d be stuck planet-side until someone came looking for them. Realistically, he knew that could be months away.</p><p>Shifting uncomfortably, Garrus began to take note of the damage to his own body. He hadn’t done a thorough evaluation since his bondmate left him with James on the shuttle. The pain had been so severe and he’d been bleeding out. His brain felt stuffed with cotton then. Now he looked himself over and cringed. He was completely nude, but that didn’t really bother him. What bothered him was the scoring to his plates and hide. He looked as if he’d been dipped in a vat of acid. The scent of medi-gel clung to him and he realized the doctor must have completely immersed him in it. That would explain why he’d regained consciousness in a tank. He was slumped in a corner of the port lounge now. Between the door and the glass partition that separated the game room from the main lounge, more precisely. </p><p>Groaning as he pushed himself up to his knees, he noticed the brace around his lower right leg. <em>That’s new… no more trouble from the spur, I guess. Damn thing’s gone</em>. He grumbled to himself as he ran a hand over the capped off stump. The brace, he knew, might become a permanent thing. That spur had supported a good many small muscles and ligaments leading to his ankle. Granted, the innermost structure was still present, but only time would tell just how much of it was really needed. </p><p>As he shifted, his side screamed and he ran a hand over that experimentally as well. The surface was sore, but the hide was unbroken now. Chackwas must have removed the rod and patched him up. Finally gaining a position on his knees, he realized his body’s natural armor must have protected him from the worst of the impact when the Normandy crashed.</p><p>Judging by the condition of the room, it must have been a hell of a crash landing. The glass partition was cracked behind him, a perfect indent of his carapace impressed into the tempered surface. The opposite side was utterly shattered, as if something had fallen through it.</p><p>Glancing around the room, he noticed the switch for the shutter was completely burned out. Natural light streamed in from the open observation port. He frowned at that, glancing up toward the darkened array of lighting that usually lit the lounge.</p><p>Memory, sharp as a dagger, slashed at his heart then and he let out a ragged breath. Closing his eyes against the wave of grief, he realized exactly what the ‘dream’ must have meant. <em>She’s gone… Ah… spirits, my mate is gone… The chick... I can’t… What do I do now?</em></p><p>A faint moan from the other side of the lounge drew his attention sharply before the grief could take hold and drown him again. The asari lying against the base of the barstools shifted, her shoulders rolling as she started to push herself up. She cried out in pain as her blackened hand touched the floor. Sagging, she pressed her forehead to the floor and whimpered, cradling that hand.</p><p>There was a thud outside the door and the sound of gears being turned manually carried to him a moment later. He glanced between the door and the asari. <em>I’m not a medic… can’t help her directly, but I know tech. I can get that door open</em>.</p><p>With a faint nod to himself, he pivoted and looked the emergency access panel over for a moment. Glancing back toward the wounded asari, he murmured quietly then. “I’ll get this thing open, Natearus. Help is on the other side.”</p><p>Without his gloves, his talons caught the seams between the panel and the wall easily. He had the panel off in a matter of seconds. The gears within the recess were turning ever so slowly. At that rate, it might take them days to get the doors open. The asari, he knew, might not last that long. He glanced around him for something to fit into the slot in the main gear. Among the miscellaneous debris scattered across the floor, there were a few poker chips tossed in. He snatched a couple up and looked them over thoughtfully.</p><p>“Perfect…” Garrus breathed and pressed one against the slot in the gears. With a little torque of force, he slammed it home and began twisting it. Cranking those gears faster when the resistance from the other side ceased.</p><p>The moment the doors parted a fraction, he climbed painfully to his feet and stood before them. Grunting, he worked his hands between them enough to get a sure grip. He pulled at them, but they refused to budge for several long heartbeats. The whimpering sobs of the asari behind him pushed him toward the edge of desperate determination. <em>She needs help, Vakarian. The only way she gets it… is if you get these damn doors open</em>. With a growl, he forced them open enough to admit the doctor and Liara. The women rushed in, Liara glancing at him briefly before they went to the injured asari.</p><p>Garrus watched them for a moment as he stood there by the doors. The soft moan from between the wall and game table drew his attention just as quickly as Liara’s. The asari rushed toward the sound before he had a chance to move more than a couple of steps. He saw Lilfrey wedged between the wall and the chairs there. Clearly she had been the object that had fallen through the glass on that side. She was alive, at least. There was that much.</p><p>Standing there feeling completely useless, Garrus turned and slipped out the door then. He couldn’t face them, it was too soon. Part of him didn’t really want to face anyone. He severely rejected the idea that Shepard might not have survived. He’d seen the blast just before the jump to FTL. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he might have believed she hadn’t been vaporized. <em>I know better. The evidence of my own eyes can’t be denied.</em> Even the dream or vision, or whatever it had been couldn’t be trusted. He knew that could have been his subconscious playing tricks on him, feeding him what he needed to survive the moment.</p><p>Sub-harmonics raging all over the place, he made his way toward the battery. He averted his eyes from that memorial wall as if it might somehow burn him. At some point, he knew the others would want to hold a service for the fallen. He didn’t want to be anywhere near that. He’d attended a service for her once. It wasn’t something he intended to do again. Instead, he meant to reroute emergency lighting through the thanix power cells. He knew he could do that much for the others. If he could get his emotions under control, he thought he might even be able to help restore main power and assess the rest of the damage. It was something. He already knew if he threw himself into menial tasks, he could distract himself for a while, at least.</p><p>“That might take awhile.” he grumbled softly to himself as he shot through the mess hall. His evolved night vision making it easier to avoid the scattered odds and ends.</p><p>Stopping to the right of the main battery’s doors, he knelt down and felt around for the access panel. Without his gloves, his talons caught the seams between the panel and the wall here just as easily as they had in the lounge. He had access to the manual controls in seconds. Faint light poured out of the small cubby from the recessed power conduits. The glow of eezo, he knew that was what it was and didn’t care.</p><p>Glancing at the extra poker chip he’d snagged from the floor of the lounge, he realized he could use the same method here. It took little effort to force the chip into the slot. Digging his talons into the chip, he began twisting it, rolling the gears with a clicking noise.</p><p>It was faster this time. He knew exactly what he was doing and how much force it was going to take to open those doors. The second the doors were open enough to admit him, he squeezed through. Nude as he was, his plates gave just enough to allow him through a smaller gap than his armor would have.</p><p>No sooner than he had slipped through, he headed for his workbench. He had a small case of emergency supplies tucked beneath it. When he found it, he pulled it out and opened it on the workbench’s surface. The flashlight was a human design, something all the Alliance guns came equipped with. This one, he had taken off his old viper when Shepard had gifted him with the widow. He clicked it on now, testing the brightness of the beam. His breath hitched at the sight of Shepard’s damaged spare helmet sitting on the bench. He had meant to replace the lens days ago, but there had been no time. <em><b>Breathe</b></em><em>, Vakarian. Keep breathing until you know for sure.</em></p><p>Garrus headed for the cubby he had once used as a bunk the second he tore his eyes off that helmet. His spare armor was tucked in there along with a spare visor. Running with Shepard had taught him to always have a backup plan and spare gear close at hand.</p><p>The second he had gear in place and visor on his face, he began to feel a little more in control. Not much, but a little and he realized every little bit counted toward a greater whole. Flashlight in hand, he moved along the hump of the thanix cannon until he found the control panel near the stairs. He set to working on it, blocking out everything else.</p><p>Hours passed and he finally managed to get the emergency systems routed through the thanix power cells and back online. The whirr of power kicking in was almost a comforting sound. And he sank down on the crate he so often used as a seat with his back to the workbench. He dropped the micro-calibrator between his feet and rested his elbows on his knees for a moment.</p><p>When his console pinged, he ignored it. The crew could manage without him now that they had some kind of power to work with. As he set there, he rubbed his face and let out a despondent sigh as the crushing weight of grief settled back in around his shoulders. The message continued to ping on his console and he growled at the thought of interacting with anyone.</p><p>Getting to his feet, he glanced toward the blinking message light and started to step out the door. He pulled up short of actually crossing the threshold when a thought needled him; <em>what if it’s news? What if she’s alive and they found her? Could you live with yourself if you didn’t at least look at the message source?</em></p><p>With a rumble of displeasure, he turned and stepped up to the console. Tapping a couple of keys, he brought the message source up. It was Tali. She thought maybe she could get EDI back online if the algorithm Nihlus had provided had actually done its job. He didn’t bother to send a voice message. Instead, he tapped out a quick written message before turning and rushing out of the battery. He had no intention of being in there when the engineering team converged on him.</p><p>Garrus just made it past the elevator as it was opening. He headed back into the port lounge then and sealed himself in. That was where he meant to remain until he had a better grip on his emotional turmoil. He also meant to do for himself, exactly what Wrex had done for him when the first Normandy was lost. The turian meant to get so incredibly drunk that he couldn’t remember his own name. He meant to stay that way for as long as possible.</p><p>The rational side of his mind told him that wasn’t a good idea without ‘supervision’. He could very well drink himself to death. At this point, he simply didn’t care. He shut down that internal argument by grabbing a bottle of horosk from the case beneath the counter. <em>A glass is just a waste of drinking time… a waste of good liquor too</em>, he thought as he popped the top off and knocked back enough to take his breath.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Song of Grief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As the mournful keening weaves itself into a song of prayer, a creature of song and color hears it and intertwines it with another.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tissues, Tissues... you're gonna need them.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In nearly a week, Garrus had eaten all the dextro snacks in the lounge. He’d even drank most of the horosk. Only in desperation did he venture out of his refuge. Then only to hit the bathroom during the late hours of the night shift. On a few occasions, one or two of the crew had attempted to coax him out, but he refused to release the hacked lock.</p>
<p>Now he stood swaying in the middle of the room staring through the viewport at the world outside. With a snarl of rage, Garrus threw the half empty bottle of turian brandy at it with a grunt. He staggered and found himself on his knees as the bottle exploded against the transparent material. A low rumble began to build beneath his keel bone and worked its way up through his throat as a keening wail. Turians didn't cry the way most species did. Water was precious on Palaven and so her inhabitants had evolved to conserve it. Their tear ducts lacked the reservoirs required for more than basic eye lubrication. Keening, that was how they expressed their sorrow. He had always prided himself in keeping his emotions fairly in check, but with the booze in his system he had utterly lost control. His mind kept replaying certain events over and over. If he couldn't smother those images, he knew he might well go mad.</p>
<p>Barely an hour after Shepard had disappeared amidst Reaper fire, the Crucible had all but exploded as a great wave of red erupted from it. The Normandy had been forced to follow their last standing orders; head for the rendezvous point. They never made it. The wave hit them and they had gone down, crash landing on a garden world somewhere within Sol’s system. He was fairly certain it must be Saturn’s moon; Titan.</p>
<p>Now the Normandy’s gunnery officer sat on his knees looking out the alcohol drenched viewport. The reports were still sketchy at best and hard to come by without EDI to boost the signal. The war with the Reapers was over, but the price had been too high. The geth, it seemed, had gone dark all across the galaxy. With them every AI/VI and high tech device across the Milkyway had shorted out. EDI was gone, by all accounts. Her synthetic body had shut down the instant the wave had hit them. There was no telling if Nihlus’ algorithm had protected her core memory banks or not. And Shepard.... There had been little to no word, but all the evidence seemed clear. She must have been vaporized in the initial blast.</p>
<p>Garrus was proud of her, but the very idea that she might be dead, was destroying him. He knew she had always measured her life, a single life, against the entire galaxy. If given the choice, she would have made that sacrifice so that future generations might live beyond the hell the Reapers had created. He grieved for her in the only way he knew how. Part of him wished now that he had died on Omega. He would never have held her in his arms, never loved her, never bonded with her. The regret at that idea welled up in him, changing the tones of his keening to a sharp, brittle wail. He <em>could</em> not, <em>would</em> not ever deny what they had meant to each other. Somehow it felt as if he were throwing her sacrifice back at her if he did that. He would rather die than betray her memory.</p>
<p>A galaxy without Shepard in it was <em>not</em> one in which he wanted to live. He curled forward, resting his crested brow against the cool floor. He felt sick even considering what his life might have been like without her, without their relationship. Shepard's last words in the field still rang in his ears. The revelation of her pregnancy added a sharper edge to his emotional turmoil. He could still see her, smell her, hear her as clearly as if she stood before him now.</p>
<p>Finally, with nothing left but a ball of barbed wire where his heart had been, he pushed himself up to his knees once more and moaned in grief. After a few mournful keens, words, soft and brittle, began to pour out of him. His native language rumbled softly through the room. He didn’t notice the door behind him being forced open. It was more instinct than conscious thought that brought the prayer to his voice, interlaced with his sub-harmonics.</p>
<p>Long ago the turian people had given up their gods. Only the spirits remained. They ranged from wispy beings that merely represented groups of people, to benevolent entities that might decide to offer assistance. He appealed to any that would listen, the low keening entwining and lacing with his words to form a sort of mournful song. Iceira Vakarian, his mother, had taught him the proper words as a child. He fed his bleeding soul into the plea he sent to the spirits now, or whatever forgotten gods might still be listening. <em>Not again. Not now. I can’t live in a galaxy without her in it. Not now that I know what it truly means to love her.</em></p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Syleza, the rachni queen, lifted her head and looked toward the device the two-legs named the Crucible as the red wave passed over her. She and her brood had moved as far from the device as they could. Not safety, but better odds on the strangely silent metal trap; the Citadel the others called it. The faded songs of life still colored those empty corridors and lakes. Drained, ruined, decaying colors of mud came from most of it now.</p>
<p>Notes of orange, red, scarlet, and crimson; anger, hurt, and pain wove themselves through the rachni song. More notes of vermilion, burgundy, mahogany; distant pain, acceptance, lingering death tinged the song. Coating the notes were blues all across the spectrum. Sadness, regret, loneliness, loss. Those were the notes of the two-legs child who had granted her twice the chance to redeem her people. The rachni heard them all. She felt each contrasting color as if the song were her own. It was close, the two-legs they called ‘Shepard’, she was the origin of the song and she was close.</p>
<p>The song of pain and death grew weaker, less vibrant. It would soon mingle with the decaying colors of the station. Eventually, it would fade away. The soul bleeding those notes into the range of her own songs was far too important to her people. They needed that soul for the voice she could provide them to the other two-legs. She was their defense, their arbiter to the galaxy should the others turn on the rachni once more. True, the rachni might have earned their place among them by helping build the device, but things could change. The effect of the device had not been expected. It had destroyed much with the burning red wave that had spewed forth from it.</p>
<p>Time was growing short. The song was dimming. She heard others, many others... just on the fringes of her song. The lost children moved around in confusion, the packs upon their backs no longer transmitting songs of instruction. The mournful song of a single two-leg cousin with plates upon his hide came through sporadically. He unknowingly sought to rekindle his people's link through his grief. The rachni heard him clearly across the stars with every note he joined to their songs.</p>
<p>Those notes carried the purest tones of grief and wove it into the rachni songs intricately. It mirrored the ‘savior’s’ tones the way mates might mirror one another. The queen heard them both and intertwined their songs. Notes of blue, tinted nearly to black; grief, loss, hopelessness. A prayer for the dying sang those notes to her crisply. He grieved, but he lived. The turian was strong, as were his people.</p>
<p>Syleza turned her attention back to the ‘Shepard’ two-legs and sent a tendril of her mate’s song to her, woven through with the songs of the rachni. In that way, she answered the dying woman beneath the control chamber. She projected across her song to the dimming spark of brightness, adding words so the two-legs might understand.</p>
<p>~<em>We come, little one. Grow stronger in our song. Darkness will not claim you... not yet. You are ours. We need you. Your mate needs you.</em>~</p>
<p>A sharp note of command issued forth through the songs as she touched the mind of the closest lost child with the pack upon his back. He heard her and answered with a bright stripe of green; eagerness. She sang him instructions and he followed. He was closer than she realized. His odd two-eyed sight was disjointing when it linked with hers. He moved along a mountain of debris on four legs; and found the fragile two-legs that had saved them all from the Reapers and their sour yellow note.</p>
<p>Broken, burned, disfigured, dismembered, and yet still breathing the red song of pain. That was how the lost child found her. Others followed, driven by the delicate touches of young workers. Those the two-legs called the Keepers didn't need the control signal to begin removing the debris around the human. They didn't need the control signal to tend her most critical wounds. Nore did they need instruction to maintain her life. It was their nature to tend, maintain, and nurture.</p>
<p>Syleza sent two of her brood warriors in to assist. Their biotics could hold the debris as the Keepers cut it away. The smallest of her workers carried large beads of clean water across their mandibles to the wounded human. Survival, that was the best the rachni queen could hope for the small bundle of meat lying in the rubble. Survival until more two-legs came.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“By the <em>goddess</em>.....” Liara breathed in awe behind him as she stumbled into the room past the barely open doors. “That was..... I don't have the words... It was <em>beautiful</em>.”</p>
<p>Garrus glanced back toward the asari as he staggered to his feet. Drunk as he was, he frowned and blinked hard at the three of her standing in the doorway. Three of Tali stepped in behind her, her omni-tool still open for a moment. The quarian had a smug look on her face, clearly visible through the transparent mask she’d begun wearing in the last year.</p>
<p>“Didn’t think you could keep me out <em>forever</em>, did you, Garrus?” Tali asked softly.</p>
<p>“Garrus…” Liara began and stepped forward. “We have to mourn her. She’s <em>gone</em>. It’s time to… to let her <em>go</em>.”</p>
<p>“No,” Garrus said simply, his voice slurring almost beyond translation.</p>
<p>“James... made a plaque….” Tali began, but he just waved her off.</p>
<p>“I said… <em>no</em>,” he growled, glaring between the two women. “I <em>refuse</em> to accept she’s… gone... until I <em>see</em> her…” he couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘body’.</p>
<p>“Garrus, that... might <em>not </em>be possible.” Liara, ever the voice of reason, tried to put it gently.</p>
<p>“I won’t accept anything else…” He grumbled and shook his head. His voice dropped to barely more than a dual-toned whisper. “I <em>can’t</em>.”</p>
<p>Before either of them could stop him, he slipped between them and shot out the door. He headed for the elevator only to draw up short when he saw most of the crew gathering around the memorial wall. Anderson’s plaque already hung in the middle. His eyes narrowed when he spotted Shepard’s plaque in Joker’s hands. It was a sobering sight.</p>
<p>With a steadying breath, he covered the distance in four long strides and held out his hand for that plaque. Joker looked up at him with concern etched all over his face before nodding and handing it to him. The turian stared at it, running a finger over the name: <em>Commander Shepard</em>. Her first name was missing. It was as if history might already be attempting to erase the details of her life from the galaxy.</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, he glanced up at the wall beside him. He honestly thought about just putting the plaque up there among the honored dead. Garrus thought about it for about two seconds. It might have brought some closure to the crew, but not for him. The barb-wired beast squeezing around his heart just dug that much deeper at the thought. He couldn't bring himself to do it. </p>
<p>Shaking his head, he finally put a voice to those feelings, “This is wrong....”</p>
<p>“Garrus, what are you saying?” Liara asked as she and Tali took up places to either side of him.</p>
<p>“I can't....” he began and Liara put a reassuring hand on his armored shoulder.</p>
<p>“It's alright, Garrus. We understand,” she said in that maddeningly soothing voice.</p>
<p>He shook her off, glaring at her as he took another breath attempting to bring his emotions in check, “I...<em>can't</em>... put this on that wall, Liara. I can't put her name among the dead. It <em>feels</em>...too much....like <em>abandoning</em> her.”</p>
<p>“We're not <em>abandoning</em> her, Garrus. We're <em>honoring</em> her sacrifice.” The words were simple enough and Tali meant well, but it struck the wrong chord.</p>
<p>Garrus glared down at that plaque and gripped it hard enough to cause his gloves to creak. He squeezed his eyes shut as those words ignited a rage in him. He’d thought that anger had burned out in the days of wallowing in self-pity. Now it snapped into place with a vengeance as he snarled at his friend, “<em>She's not dead!</em> I refuse to <em>believe</em> it until we get some kind of <em>hard evidence!</em>”</p>
<p>Liara and the rest of the crew just looked at him sympathetically. None of them wanted to believe Shepard was really gone this time. She had come back from the dead once already, after all. The clear and honest truth shown from each of their eyes, however. Something was different this time. Many things, in fact.</p>
<p>“Garrus.....,” Liara began and Tali seemed about to back her up again in the argument.</p>
<p>“No..” Garrus drew the word out in irritation as he allowed the hand holding the plaque to fall to his side. The shock of the crew was palpable as he turned and limped into the elevator with the plaque. “I'll have no part of this. Do what you will, but <em>leave me</em> out of it.”</p>
<p>Before he had thought where he was going, he’d keyed in the code for the captain's cabin. He’d done it so often over the last year and a half that it had become second nature. Stepping back, he leaned against the far wall with a shuddering breath gripping that plaque in both hands. He hadn’t entered that room since the crucible fired. It hadn’t made her absence any easier to be sure.</p>
<p>When the elevator opened, he stepped out and just stood there. Stepping to the side, he leaned against the wall and glared down at the plaque before glancing back up at the door.</p>
<p>Another night, not so terribly long ago, he’d stood in that very spot debating whether or not it was a good idea to spend some time with the commander alone. Instead of a memorial plaque, he’d brought a cheap bottle of wine to her quarters then. He wished now he could go back to that moment and spend a few more minutes with her. <em>Or go back and just get back in the elevator, head back down to the battery where you were safe</em>. He knew, deep down, that he could never have done that.</p>
<p><em>My life with Shepard…</em> “Best times of my life…” his grunt was wracked with heartache as he pushed off the wall and stepped into their quarters.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Desperate Measures</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>One more breath....</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm just gonna add a semi-permanent tissue warning... at least until after Shep is officially found.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One more breath....</p><p>Silence, blessed, deafening silence filled the darkness. An eternity seemed to pass. Sensation began to distinguish itself. Pain, tingling, a burning need for air... Each sensation jangled and demanded attention. Her lungs convulsively filled with air. The breath was hot, liquid as it rattled in her chest. Her left hand, the only limb that seemed to work, raised up and found hot metal just inches above her face. A hiss of pain escaped her along with a wet bubble of something on her lips. <em>Is that blood</em>? <em>It must be</em>, her thoughts were sluggish, surrounded in cottony numbness.</p><p>With another breath, she tried to shift off something digging into her side. Searing pain lanced through her. She cried out, no sound left her lips. A gasp of pain followed. The throbbing between her ribs intensified. The bones grated against something. Whatever it was, she knew then that it had pierced her chest.</p><p>A shiver ran through her. Shock, her body was nearing the end of its endurance. <em>Does anyone know I'm alive</em>? <em>Do they even suspect I survived the blast</em>? This was supposed to be a one-way trip. That was what everyone had thought. She’d survived the blast only to bleed to death in the bowels of the Citadel. <em>Where’s the justice in that?</em></p><p>Yet another breath, she tried once more to make a sound. What escaped her was weak, pitiful, and barely loud enough to merit the squeak of a mouse. It was enough. Something shifted in the rubble nearby. Her ears were still ringing from the blast and the sound was muted, dull. It might have come to her through a great fishbowl.</p><p>A breath rasped in her chest, another bubble of liquid fire burst on her lips. She hadn't realized her left eye was open until a faint light slowly bloomed into existence. Her right eye didn't seem to work. The flesh all around it burning as if frying in an open fire. The blast had hit that side of her face even though she’d attempted to shield it. Her rational mind, disconnected from the pain, told her that the eye might be gone just as it assessed the rest of the damage.</p><p>Her body was broken, she knew that. There was nothing, no sensation below mid-thigh in her right leg. Her left calf felt as if it were caught in a vice. Burning fire blazed up her right arm from her forearm and hand, but the limb didn't work. The fingers seemed locked. Her left hip was pinned under the beam that lay just inches above her face.</p><p>Somehow that beam had missed crushing her by a couple of hand widths. She could turn her head, but the right side blazed and throbbed. The most critical damage seemed to be her ribs. She suspected some sort of rod had punched through her chest and nicked a lung. That would explain the bloody bubbles that rose up every few breaths. She had no medi-gel. The packs had ruptured from the heat when the Reaper beam hit her. There was nothing she could do but wait, hope, and pray that someone came looking for her.</p><p><em>~Your song is beautiful, bittersweet. We know you. We sing to our children of your forgiveness and sacrifice. We will sing of hope with you now.~</em> the words came from the undamaged throat of a nearby corpse, the words of the rachni.</p><p>More movement and light filtered to her as something moved over the debris. She gasped when the Keeper came into sight. It was led by several small rachni. They touched its legs, guiding it toward her location. The light came from a pack attached to its chest. In its hands were an assortment of tools. As the rachni's children guided the Keeper, its head swung toward her. The eyes made contact with hers and the intelligence behind them could not be denied.</p><p>The Keeper began shifting debris from around her as it stepped over her. It had effectively put its body between her and the beam before it began cutting it with one of the many tools it had carried with it. As her consciousness wavered, she heard the rachni queen's song in her mind. There were no words to describe the sensation. It bolstered her courage against the increasing pain as the beam shifted. She cried out when it fell free, her body wracked by wet coughing.</p><p><em>~A song of prayer colored in notes of mourning reaches out to us. A child of those who have long forgotten, begs for hope, for salvation. We hear him, his song.....is glorious.~</em> the rachni queen whispered in her mind.</p><p>As the coughing subsided, she heard a second note join the rachni. It was faint, barely more than an echo. Dual-toned and filled with so much grief, heartache, and loss that it mirrored the ache in her own heart. No creature should suffer such heartbreak. The notes were achingly beautiful. She couldn’t understand his words, but the tone she knew. The voice that filtered through the distance, mingling with the song of the rachni, she knew it, she knew <em>him</em>.</p><p>“Garrus....” she whispered hoarsely.</p><p><em>~The rachni remember the turian people. Their song was glorious once, but they have forgotten. Your mate calls to us in his grief. It has been centuries since one of his people touched our songs. His grief has ignited the way. We hear his song.~</em> there was a long pause as the queen allowed the song to pour through to her. <em>~Your song is faint. Your time grows near. We cannot allow you to slip away......not yet.~</em></p><p>The rachni queen's words and the notes of her soothing song were the anchor that held Shepard to the here and now. The turian's song intermingling with it reinforced her will to survive. Whatever she had to endure, she would, in order to make it home to him. She couldn't leave him in that kind of torment.</p><p>When the Keeper shifted the debris at her side, she flinched. She cried out when the creature began cutting the rod that had punched through her. It released with a jolt and blackness claimed her.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus stared at the bottle in his hand, tipping it this way and that. The liquor caught the reflections of the light from the fish tank. It cast prisms across the room. He held his breath until black dots danced in his vision in time to his heartbeat. The room didn’t change. <em>She</em> didn't come out of the bathroom. Her quarters were empty aside from him. In his heart, he’d hoped the final push to the Crucible might have been a nightmare. Maybe, just maybe he could capture a few more moments with Shepard before they made that awful run.</p><p>It was a fantasy. He knew she had gone on without him. And now he was sitting in her cabin on a garden world that might or might not be Titan. His eyes shifted toward the plaque he had refused to put on that damn wall. It lay on the coffee table where he had all but thrown it after sealing himself in her quarters. <em><b>Our</b></em> <em>quarters</em>, the thought forced itself in. They were bonded. He had shared these quarters with her for more than a year now.</p><p>“Fuck it....” he muttered with a mournful sigh and knocked back nearly a third of the bottle of horosk he had found in the cabinet between the chair and couch. It went down in one gulp like liquid fire. It was enough to take his breath an instant before the warm lassitude rolled over him. The bottle was gone in two more gulps. The alcohol buzz slowly began to dull the hollow ache in his chest for a few more minutes.</p><p>At some point, he found a few more bottles of turian wine Shepard had stocked for him. He polished those off through the course of the night. It didn't take long before he realized he was comfortably numb and swimming in alcohol. Some part of him worried about alcohol poisoning, but he pushed it aside. If Shepard really was gone, then he would gladly join her. <em>By my own hand</em>? He questioned himself. Turians rarely committed suicide. The very idea rattled him. It almost felt as if he would be throwing away the life Shepard had bought them all with her own.</p><p>Finally, he levered himself up and staggered toward the bed, her bed. It was a flat human thing that did little for turian comfort, but at that moment, he didn't care. He was secure in the room, that was all that mattered to him as he stripped his gear off. Everything but his pants came off. They had proven too much of a hassle to get past the leg brace a second time. His visor, the thing he rarely removed, ended up on the bedside table along with one of their spare pistols. He had no idea whose it was at this point. It was right where he needed it. Omega had taught him that security was an illusion. There’d been a gun close at hand ever since.</p><p>Grabbing a couple of pillows, he tucked them between his cowl and chin as he flopped down on his belly. He lay across the bed, face turned toward the cabin's entrance. The sigh that escaped him was one of exhaustion. He inhaled the scent of her on the pillows and bedding. His own scent mingled with it and seemed to soothe his raw sense. He pulled the bedding close to his face as his eyes drooped closed. One arm slid off the edge of the bed, his bare hand brushing the floor as soft turian snores and whistles of sleep filled the room.</p><p>*</p><p>Nana jolted awake and sat straight up in her bunk. She glanced down at the protective contraption the doctor had sealed her burnt hand up in and frowned. Her dreams were not her own tonight. She’d seen a burned-out forest, a park bench, and a pair of children. Rubbing her right hand over her face, she drew that memory up before her mind’s eye. Those children had been pleading with her for help. They didn’t want help for themselves, they wanted it for their father. It had taken her a little longer than she cared to admit to realize exactly who they meant. She’d looked them over thoughtfully then.</p><p>They looked somewhat turian, but there were other elements mixed in. In place of a fringe, they both had silken strands of feathery down draped across their scalps. It seemed more like human hair in essence. Their faces were more streamlined, like the female of the turian species. Four fingers instead of three, three toes with a slightly lower arching foot, and their leg spurs were barely more than nubs. Between the fine plates of their faces, she’d noticed the faint green glow of circuit lines.</p><p>The moment it struck her exactly who their father must be, she’d awakened with a start. Those children, the shapes of their faces, their coloring, everything pointed to… Garrus. She knew there was only one female who could possibly be their mother and that meant the woman must still be alive. The asari didn’t know how it was possible, but that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was that those kids had come to her while her mind was open and wandering. They’d come to the one person who stood a chance at helping the turian and she wasn’t about to let their plea go unheeded.</p><p>Nana climbed out of bed and threw on one of the few flowing garments she had. It was a quick choice as she rushed out the door. The first place she looked as she exited the elevator on the crew deck was the port lounge. The turian wasn’t there. She spotted the quarian girl sprawled on the couch, one foot on the floor. Instead of scaring the girl to death, she walked over and tapped her odd foot with her own.</p><p>Tali jerked and turned her masked face toward the asari with a start. Her voice was thick with sleep as she sat up. “Natearus… what?”</p><p>“Nana.” the asari grumbled.</p><p>“Whatever… Need something?” the girl murmured through a yawn.</p><p>“Your skills are needed, girl.” Nana barked and crossed her arms. “I’d do it myself, but…” and she waved her injured left hand at the quarian.</p><p>“What do you need me to do?” Tali asked, coming to full alertness now.</p><p>“Break into the captain’s quarters,” Nana said simply.</p><p>“No.” Tali shook her head. “I can’t do that. Garrus is in there and he has a right to privacy.”</p><p>“There’s privacy and then there’s stupidity, girl. Which do you think that boy is really up to?” Nana grumbled and gave the quarian a sour look. “He’s been boozin’ it up for days. How much horosk do you think is up in that cabin? How much do you think he can swill down before it <em>kills </em>him?”</p><p>Tali’s eyes widened at that idea and she shot to her feet. “<em>Kheela!</em>”</p><p>“Get the door open and I’ll go inside. If he’s in trouble, you get the doctor… We save his life… no harm, no foul,” Nana said with a nod.</p><p>“You’re sure he might be in trouble?” Tali asked, the skepticism returning to her voice.</p><p>“Call it a feeling, girl… and I’ve rarely been wrong,” Nana grumbled.</p><p>The quarian nodded and headed for the door. She beat Nana to the elevator but waited for the older woman to board before poking the button that would take them up. When they stepped out, the door buzzed at them, the lock turning red.</p><p>“That’s to be expected. He’s sealed himself in there hopin’ the rest of us would forget he’s here,” Nana grumbled before glancing at the quarian. “Think you can crack the lock?”</p><p>“Of course I can.” There was a faint note of indignation in the girl’s voice and Nana smiled faintly.</p><p>Tali ran through several combinations of codes and hacks before the door lock finally turned green. The second it did, Nana shot past her into the darkened room. Sure enough, the turian lay sprawled on the bed. The asari made her way down the short stairs to him quickly. He didn’t respond to the noise they made. When he didn’t respond to the slight twisting of the longest blade of his fringe, Nana knew her gut feeling about that dream had been correct. She pressed a couple of fingers to the artery in his neck then.</p><p>“Get the doctor up here… <em>Now</em>, girl!” Nana barked as she knelt down on the floor before the turian.</p><p>Very carefully, Nana rolled him off his belly and onto his right side, shoving one of the pillows that had hit the floor between his waist and the bed. She awkwardly tucked another under his head in an effort to open his airway a little more. Glaring at him, she shook her head.</p><p>“Idiot boy!” the asari grumbled half under her breath even as she glanced back at the quarian.</p><p>Tali had called the doctor over her omni-tool. It took the older human mere minutes to reach the room. Nana suspected she must have been waiting for such a call. She knew this boy was more trouble than he was worth at times. But he was Shepard’s mate, and if the girl really was alive… and carrying his hybrid children… then he needed to survive his own stupidity.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We've begun book six and still our Shep is fairly non-descript and lacking a first name. What are you feelings on that? Do we want a description in this book? Do we want her full name? Drop your opinions in the comments.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Glimmer in the Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grunt was listening to radio chatter just before the Crucible fired.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grunt was listening to the radio chatter intently when every unit from every species started calling to retreat and regroup. Hammer was gone, blown away by that damn Reaper that sat just beyond the beam. Their last best hope to win this thing had just been obliterated.</p><p>“Shepard…” he breathed in uncertainty. He knew she’d been the claws of Hammer team. She’d have been out there in the middle of it all.</p><p>Tapping the frame of his targeting visor, he zoomed in and looked out across the wasteland between himself and that beam. There were bodies everywhere. He thought they might all be dead right up until he saw one of them climb to its feet. The figure staggered toward the beam, taking down several husks. Before it reached the beam, it took a hit from a hidden Marauder. Barely a heartbeat later, it took the Marauder down and stepped into the beam.</p><p>Grunt saw another figure, a little bigger, but still human. He knew by its shape, it had to be male. The man ran into the beam from the side and disappeared just as the female did. He knew who they must have been. The first had to be Shepard. He suspected the second might have been Admiral Anderson. No one had seen him in the last hour.</p><p>When Hackett announced that someone actually made it to the beam, Grunt wanted to cheer. He smiled and looked to his team when chatter about the arms opening came through. He knew full well that it had to be Shepard. <em>Nobody else has the quads to run past an active Reaper</em>.</p><p>They all heard Hackett insisting that Shepard wasn’t doing enough. The Crucible wasn’t firing. Grunt growled at the human’s casual disregard for everything his adopted mother had done thus far. He meant to follow her up. Finish the job for her if she couldn’t, but he wasn’t about to let them call her a failure. Not now. Not this late in the game.</p><p>“Those pyjaks are gonna drag her down and smear her name in the mud if this thing’s gone south.” Wrex snarled as he came into view, storming toward the tanks. “I ain’t lettin’ her go down like that.”</p><p>“Count me in. What do we have to do?” Grunt snapped the second the elder was in earshot.</p><p>“We’re goin’ up there.” Wrex said simply and cocked his shotgun before taking off at a run.</p><p>Wrex led the charge to the beam with Grunt right on his tail. That beam was like cold fire the second they stepped into it. They’d taken out the resistance along the way. Now they were in a corridor filled with the dead. There were Keepers sifting through the muck, the antenna on their packs blinking rapidly. When the first explosion rocked the Citadel, the red wave broke over them. The packs on the Keepers backs shorted out. The Keepers remained, looking around in obvious confusion.</p><p>It all went to hell after that. The Citadel shook and bucked under the destructive power rolling out of its core. They barely made it to an open ring of panels shifting rapidly up and down. Arcs of electricity raced across them, tinted red from the wave. They rushed toward a central room across that chasm as some of those panels broke free and fell away.</p><p>Wrex topped the ramp first and froze for only a heartbeat just inside the doorway.</p><p>“Damn.” the clan leader growled before rushing forward and checking the Admiral for signs of life. “He’s alive.”</p><p>“<em>Wrex!</em>” Grunt snapped and pointed toward the fireball erupting from the ceiling.</p><p>Wrex threw himself over the downed human as the fireball nearly flattened him. Grunt was thrown back ten feet when it washed over him. He scrambled to his feet, patting the fire out on his shoulder as he ran back toward the rubble strewn room.</p><p>The younger krogan just chuckled when he saw the elder climbing to his feet. He shifted a slab of cracked concrete off himself as he lifted the Admiral. “Tough bastard. He’s still alive.”</p><p>“You think Shepard was up there?” Grunt asked as he nodded toward the collapsing ceiling and the crumbled section that had created a kind of ramp.</p><p>“Where there’s smoke and fire, Shepard’s usually at the center of it,” Wrex said quietly.</p><p>“You think she’s alive?” Grunt wasn’t sure he wanted that answer. Not even a speculative one.</p><p>“Doubt it. It was a hell of a blast and humans are squishy.” Wrex sighed and glanced upward at the flickering light of flames burning up above. “C’mon. The admiral needs help. Been gut shot. Ugly way for any species to go.”</p><p>“Go. I’m staying.” Grunt growled.</p><p>“Suit yourself.” Wrex said and after a moment he grumbled. “If I find him some help, I’ll come help you look for her.”</p><p>Grunt nodded and started up that ramp. He sifted through the wreckage for hours and ignored the pair of Keepers that moved past him. The rachni he expected a fight from, but they ignored him and moved along the same course the Keepers had. He frowned and decided to follow them.</p><p>The scene he came upon around a huge blown out power conduit was enough to leave him with nightmares. The Keepers were cutting through rebar. A pair of rachni brood warriors were holding big chunks of rubble up with their biotics. The small rachni was carrying clean water toward them. The small crystal that matched Wrex’ description of the one Bakara had once found, dangled across the charred mass between them. It glinted in the dim light, drawing his attention. The dog tags marked the thing between them as alliance.</p><p>Grunt growled when he saw the data storage tag shifting with those dog tags. That marked the horribly burnt human as Shepard. He heard Wrex below call up to him before he headed toward the woman.</p><p>“<em>Up here!</em> Shepard’s up here!” Grunt bellowed.</p><p>One of the Keepers stopped its work, turning toward him with a rod between its hands in a defensive posture. Grunt’s brow-ridges raised at the action. Shepard had told him the keepers ignored everything. This one certainly wasn’t ignoring him. It looked ready to fight him. He thought it meant to protect the commander.</p><p>“Wait… Why does this pyjak look like he’s about to beat us with a metal pipe?” Wrex asked as he stopped beside Grunt. “Keepers don’t give a shit about anybody around ‘em. They just clean up messes and fix shit.”</p><p>“I think it’s protecting Shepard.” Grunt muttered.</p><p>“I don’t care what it <em>thinks</em> it’s doin’. The second they cut her loose, I’m grabbin’ her.” Wrex snarled, anger at the Keeper’s challenge clearly pulsing through his veins.</p><p>Grunt saw the vein standing out on the side of his neck and wondered just how fast he could put himself between the elder and the Keeper. There was a good chance this wasn’t going to go well if they tried to fight the weird creature. He intended to get them all out alive, if at all possible. That included Shepard. From the faint gurgling sound along with the rise and fall of her chest, he knew she still lived.</p><p>“I don’t know about you, but I can’t chew through those bars stickin’ out of her. Can you?” Grunt asked the elder krogan with a sideways glance.</p><p>“You might have a point there, whelp.” Wrex grumbled thoughtfully as he eyed the Keeper between them and the commander. “I don’t like it, but… it’s a bad situation all the way around.”</p><p>“I think we gotta wait ‘em out.” Grunt nodded and glared at the Keeper.</p><p>“Might be right, but...” Wrex said as he sat down and stared at the defensive Keeper. “I ain’t waitin’ around too long. Shep’s alive now. Might not be if it takes ‘em too long to cut her out of there.”</p><p>The Keeper stood down when Grunt joined Wrex on the rubble strewn floor. The younger krogan narrowed his eyes at the creature. He realized they had just presented themselves as a non-threat. His eyes followed the creature as it resumed cutting a steel rod that had apparently punched through the commander’s thigh.</p><p>“Rachni… stink.” Grunt growled in a low voice as one of the little ones ran past him. He so wanted to squash it, but he was curious to see exactly what it was doing.</p><p>“That they do, whelp… that they do.” Wrex breathed out with a faint groan.</p><p>When they heard Shepard cough and gurgle even more, Grunt started edging his way toward her. He was pretty sure he could crawl to her and the Keeper might not notice. The rebar jabbing down into the shattered concrete bare inches from his face said otherwise. Looking up the length of that rod, he glared at the Keeper and it glared right back.</p><p>“You know you’re an ugly fucker, right?” Grunt snapped at it. “You’re gonna let me in there. I’m gonna help get her outa here whether you like it or not.”</p><p>The Keeper emitted a buggish chirping sound, but held its ground. Despite the circumstances, he heard Wrex’s barking laugh behind him. The Keeper’s attention turned to the elder krogan for a few seconds then. The plates around its eyes drew together in what Grunt could only describe as a frown.</p><p>“Well I’ll be damned… they’re not stupid, after all.” Wrex laughed at the giant bug.</p><p>“You ain’t helpin’, old man.” Grunt grumbled.</p><p>Before he could say another word, the Keeper’s head turned sharply toward the heart of the Citadel. It moved aside as if directed to do so a moment later. Its eyes followed Grunt, the ‘frown’ remaining on its face as he got to his feet.</p><p>Grunt glanced toward the two rachni holding the large chunks of debris suspended above the commander with their biotics. He didn’t trust them, but he wasn’t stupid either. They could have let the tons of cement fall on her when the Keepers cut the rebar free. The space spiders hadn’t done that.</p><p>Shepard lay in a small trench her body had created in the rubble. Burned beyond recognition and twisted from countless broken bones, Grunt was almost afraid to touch her. There wasn’t an inch of her that wasn’t covered in blood, burns or charred armor. He didn’t want to hurt her more by lifting her, but he had no choice. <em>At least she’s out. She probably won’t feel it anyway</em>.</p><p>After another moment of hesitation, he simply pushed his big hands beneath her. As he lifted her out of the rubble, he realized he’d never lifted her before. She weighed practically nothing even with the scraps of armor remaining. The thing that dug at him was just how limp she was and how very small.</p><p>“You got her, boy?” Wrex asked from behind him.</p><p>“I got her.” Grunt said softly as he stood with her and turned toward the clan leader. He cradled his adopted mother as if she were a child. “She’s so damn <em>small</em>.”</p><p>“Yeah… and almost dead.” Wrex nodded and sniffed at her when Grunt drew in a little closer. “Needs help <em>now</em>. She ain’t gonna last much longer… and neither is that whelp she’s carryin’.”</p><p>Grunt stared at Wrex with his mouth hanging open for a full ten seconds before he moved after the retreating elder. “What?”</p><p>“You heard me.” Wrex grumbled as he led Grunt down toward the chasm they’d crossed to reach this room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The votes may still be coming and I'm still counting. Our Shep is likely gonna spill her full name, but a full description of her appearance may be too much. If you really want to know exactly what she looks like, I can add that to the end notes of a chapter. If so, that chapter will have a warning regarding the nature of those end notes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Coercion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shane is loose on the Citadel and still gunning for his sister's Spectre codes. He has reasons that far outreach Cerberus or CAT6.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shane tucked himself into a doorway out of sight as the pair of krogan rushed by. He knew the red one. That was the one who followed his twin all over the galaxy. The smaller one he didn’t know and he didn’t really care who it was. What he cared about was the burnt sack of meat it carried. There was no doubt in his mind that the red and blistered bundle was his sister. The way they were rushing along told him she was still alive.</p><p>An idea began to form and a smile twisted his face as he followed the aliens at a distance. From what he had seen of her, his sister was virtually unrecognizable. With most of the highest tech down after that wave of red destruction washed over everything, he knew the field hospital might not have a way of accurately identifying her.</p><p><em>As her only living relative, it’s my </em><em><span class="u">duty</span></em> <em>to </em><em><span class="u">care</span></em> <em>for her. </em>The thought brought a smug sneer to his face as he slipped into another doorway and waited to see which way they would go. He doubted the red one would recognize him if he saw him again. If the pair got lost along the way, he might step up as a helpful citizen.</p><p><em>Once I have what I need from her, I can finally collect the data from those damned Alliance records. Grab what I need and be done with it. The Alliance can go </em><em><span class="u">fuck</span></em> <em>themselves afterward. </em>His face was twisting into a mask of anger and he knew it. The records he needed to get his hands on were in the archives. If the place was salvageable, he had no doubt those records would be intact. Between Hackett and his father playing him and his sister against each other, they’d successfully turned him into a raging monster. His sister, they’d practically turned into a saint. <em>Night and day, that’s what we are now</em>. <em>Those records might not matter anymore, but better safe than sorry. I need her Spectre codes… just in case though.</em></p><p>Following the krogan around a corner, he realized they were heading for the main field hospital on this level. <em>Oh this is perfect. Step into my parlor little flies… Chloe’s the only doctor still alive on this ward. I know she’ll help me.</em></p><p>He’d have asked his sister to look into his records and point out the files that had been tampered with to her superiors. The trouble was, he knew his father had been pulling Hackett’s strings when Torfan went down. He just needed to prove it. That proof was in those records. <em>I know she won’t help me. Too much bad blood after Dad’s little freak show. Might finally get those Alliance bastards off my back once and for all though. No more falsified records by dear ol’ dad. Bastard was more trouble than he was worth. Never would have been on Torfan if he hadn’t fiddled with my deployment orders. Still hate the aliens, guess somethings are born and bred.</em></p><p>Keeping his ball cap pulled low as he entered the cafe-turned-clinic, Shane closed the distance between himself and the krogan by a few feet. He smiled coldly when he spotted Dr. Michel rushing toward them. She might not like aliens, but she could and would treat them if she had to. Glancing around, he realized there were members of every species there.</p><p>“<em>Oh… my god</em>. Caught in the blast?” Chloe asked as she stopped before them and looked the burned human over.</p><p>“It’s Shepard.” the red krogan answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.</p><p>“I don’t care who she is. She needs treatment. Bring her over here.” Chloe barked and directed them toward an area set aside for the most critical triage patients. “Put her down there… and get out of my way.”</p><p>“I’m not leaving.” the smaller one growled.</p><p>“You are leaving… right now.” Chloe snapped and glared at what was clearly a younger krogan. “Unless you want her to die.”</p><p>“Fine. But I’m not goin’ far.” the krogan half snarled.</p><p>“Go see if you can find Anderson. I’ll deal with this pyjak.” the red one said, putting his hand on the smaller one’s shoulder.</p><p>“I don’t like this, Wrex.” the younger one grumbled.</p><p>“I’ll be right here. Like to see ‘em try to move <em>me</em>.” Wrex huffed a small, bitter laugh. “Go on, Grunt.”</p><p>Shane watched Grunt leave reluctantly and wondered how he might get Wrex out of the way as well. He thought he might wait until the krogan was asleep. After all, even aliens had to sleep sometime. <em>That might give Chloe time to stabilize my sister. Need her alive, can’t get those Spectre codes out of a corpse.</em></p><p>Taking a seat among the walking wounded, Shane realized he fit right in. He did have a couple of nasty slashes across the right side of his face. The position gave him another advantage; he could see everything that was going on between those cloth partitions.</p><p>“Alliance tags, but they’ve practically been melted. There’s no way to read them. Without a working medical scanner, I can’t confirm her identity from her genetic profile.” Chloe turned back to the krogan. “You saw her before she was burned?”</p><p>“I saw her a few hours ago… before she ran for the beam that brought her up here.” Wrex answered, his tone bordering nasty.</p><p>“So you don’t know for sure who this woman is either.” she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.</p><p>“I <em>know</em> that’s Shepard. Those storage disks are damn near as indestructible as a krogan. She’s got one there with her dog tags. Scan it. You’ll find a bonding contract with her name on it.” Wrex growled and pointed toward the small disk hanging from the chain.</p><p>“No one here has a working omni-tool. Try again, krogan.” Chloe spread her arms in frustration and allowed them to drop back down to her sides.</p><p>“Just take my word for it, doc.” Wrex grumbled.</p><p>“I’m afraid I just can’t do that.” Chloe shook her head. “Now, if you’ll kindly leave, I have a critical patient to attend to.”</p><p>“I ain’t goin’ anywhere.” Wrex snapped.</p><p>“I’m afraid you are. You’re hindering my patient’s treatment.” Chloe snapped back and waved to a couple of C-Sec officers.</p><p>Shane noted they were human and clearly patients of hers. More walking wounded by their look. One had his arm in a sling and the other had a bandage around his head. They came over quickly and when the doctor told them the problem, they forced the krogan out at gunpoint. He bitched, but there wasn’t much he could do.</p><p>As soon as he was sure the krogan couldn’t see him, Shane stood up and limped over to the makeshift triage. “Hey, Chlo…”</p><p>“I’m busy, Shane.” she said absently, but didn’t turn around with the shocked look he’d expected.</p><p>“I’m here to claim my sister.” he began and she cut him off.</p><p>Holding up a hand, she never even glanced his way. “This might not even <em>be</em> your sister. But If you want her to live, you’ll leave me alone while I treat her most critical injuries.”</p><p>“I can take her to Minuteman Station. The facilities there are almost as good as Lazarus.” he said quietly, glancing around to make sure he wasn’t overheard.</p><p>“And what if it’s been destroyed? What then? Your sister will die because you want something from her.” Chloe snapped and continued to gently work pieces of her patient’s ruined armor off.</p><p>“She’s not gonna die… because you’re comin’ with me.” Shane said quietly.</p><p>“What makes you think I want any more part in your plans?” Chloe growled and did glance over her shoulder at him then. “I have patients here who need help. There are more coming in every few minutes.”</p><p>“Because there are three doctors from Huerta sittin’ over there among the walking wounded. They can take over.” Shane pointed the men out with a wave of his arm.</p><p>“They’re injured. They aren’t fit to take care of patients.” Chloe protested.</p><p>“Sure they are. There’s three of them and one of you.” He glanced their way and leaned into her. “Scrapes, bruises and bumps. That’s what I see, don’t you? They’re sittin’ there when they should be helpin’ out here.” Shane put an arm around her shoulders when she turned to face them. “You know they can do it. You know they <em>should</em> do it. It would give you the chance to focus all your attention on saving the <em>great</em> Commander Shepard.”</p><p>He knew he’d won her over when a slight frown twisted her face. She glanced back at her patient then shook her head with a growl. “Go tell them I need to see them over here, right now. They can help me stabilize her.”</p><p>“I knew you’d see things my way. You won’t regret this.” Shane purred.</p><p>“I already do.” she hissed at him as she hooked Shepard up to an IV.</p><p>*</p><p>“We need the cyberneticist who installed the hardware. Some of this is fused. I don’t think it’s functioning.” Chloe growled as they secured Shepard’s stasis pod in the rear of the shuttle.</p><p>“Miranda Lawson… damn, I was hoping we could leave her out of this. I hate that bitch.” Shane sighed irritably.</p><p>“I don’t care if she’s your nemesis. We need her expertise. Your sister won’t be coming out of this ice box without her.” Chloe said, sitting down beside the pod to monitor the readings for a moment.</p><p>“I really wish you wouldn’t call that thing an ice box. You make it sound like my sister’s a popsicle.” Shane grumbled.</p><p>“Well… she <em>is</em> at the moment. Or as near as it gets.” the woman huffed a faint laugh at his obvious distress. <em>He deserves it. Turned on me to save his own skin the second Garrus took him down</em>. “You do know how to contact the Lawson woman, don’t you?”</p><p>“I’ll do one better. Once you’re secured on Minuteman, I’ll go get her. Dad had her tagged.” Shane said and glanced back at her with a sneaky smile before he took the pilot’s seat. “Genetic tracer. He wanted to make sure that if he ever needed her services again, he could find her.”</p><p>“Clever.” Chloe admitted with a half nod. “Though I suspect it might lead you to her sister as well.”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter. Find her sister, find her. She’ll come for her sister if the girl sends her a message.” Shane snickered and he guided the shuttle away from the Citadel. “When she does, I grab her and ‘convince’ her to help the commander. She won’t refuse.”</p><p>“I never realized just how much I missed you.” Chloe murmured, irritated at herself. She’d hoped the torched she’d carried for him a few months ago was simple infatuation. “You’re still a crazy bastard…”</p><p>“Yeah, but you love me.” Shane chuckled as he pushed the shuttle into FTL.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Preserving Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You can’t just bail. You're stronger than this... we all are.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus bolted upright clutching his left pectoral plate. Lights and sound blurred together in a sickening kaleidoscope. He lurched forward, hands on his knees as his stomach rebelled. There was nothing for it, his stomach turned itself inside out as it decorated the deck plates with its contents.</p>
<p>“Oooh, that's <em>wonderful</em>, Vakarian.” came Dr. Chakwas' voice. She sounded every bit as disgusted as he felt.</p>
<p>“What happened? Where am I?” he slurred out, his sub-harmonics barely registering as his eyes tried to adjust to the bright light.</p>
<p>“You're in the med-bay and you're <em>damn</em> lucky to be alive. What were you thinking? Drinking that much alcohol at once would kill a <em>krogan!</em>” Dr. Chakwas had raised her voice to a near shout, something the woman never did.</p>
<p>Rubbing at his eyes in an effort to clear the fuzziness, he frowned at her. The last thing he remembered was being in the cabin he shared with his mate. He’d dreamed, or at least he thought it was a dream. There were children, two of them. <em>And they looked like me… and her.</em></p>
<p>“If our resident Justicar hadn’t gotten Tali to hack the lock and let her in… Well, quite honestly, Garrus, you would be dead.” Chakwas was calming down as she manually checked his pulse.</p>
<p>“She’s right, boy. You tryin’ to kill yourself?” Nana grumbled from across the room, her arms crossed and a sour look on her pale blue face.</p>
<p>“Look, Scars… I know this is hard. It’s hard for all of us. But you can’t just bail like that.” James said the second he appeared on the edges of his blurry sight. The hulking human mopped up the mess he’d presented them all.</p>
<p>“Shepard left you in charge, Garrus. <em>Kheela</em>, We <em>need</em> you, you <em>bosh’tet!</em>” Tali snapped at him from the doorway.</p>
<p>“I never asked… to be in charge.” Garrus murmured. He didn’t think they heard him.</p>
<p>“Well… that’s just tough shit, ain’t it, boy? We <em>rarely</em> get what we <em>ask</em> for and you know it.” Nana groused. The asari came to stand beside him then and looked him over with a nod. Her voice was low, meant for his hearing only when she spoke again. “You’re <em>stronger</em> than this. You <em>have</em> to be. Those babies <em>need</em> you.”</p>
<p>“You <em>saw</em> them? <em>How?</em> You’re <em>sure</em> they’re real?” The turian’s eyes darted to hers at that and his mandibles sagged faintly in shock. His breath hitched with his next words. “Then... she’s <em>alive</em>…”</p>
<p>“Slow down, son. I saw… <em>some</em>thing. Wouldn’t have known you were in trouble without ‘em. I just… I don’t <em>know</em> what it means… but I have to believe there’s still <em>hope</em>. <em>Hold onto</em> that until you <em>know</em>.”</p>
<p>Garrus swallowed hard and nodded. He’d done the one thing Shepard had always told him not to do; he’d lost hope. Ever the pessimist, he rarely held onto much hope anyway. Now he had more reason than ever to dig his talons into every last shred of it that he could dredge up.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shepard floated in darkness, a warm blanket of numbness cocooning her body. She wanted nothing more than to drift back into oblivion. Nothingness had consumed her after the Keeper cut through the last rod of rebar. She wanted that, almost needed it for a little longer.</p>
<p>Memories of the woods, the disconnected voices of children, and the rachni queen floated up around her within the darkness. Sharp, tangible sensations came with them. The rachni’s song, laced with another, prodded her onward into something closer to real awareness. The song bolstered her weakened grip on life by weaving the notes of a dual-toned song of mourning into her mind.</p>
<p><em>Garrus!</em> He’d been there, in those woods for a few moments. She’d seen him, touched him; spoken to him. <em>It was real. It has to be</em>. Then she heard a few faint notes of melancholy drifting around her subconscious again. They were stronger now, louder as the rachni wove the song of her soul with his, entwining them and binding them together. The rachni fed this new song that emerged, nurtured it, and sustained it and her in this crisis. She was comforted as they intertwined the memory of the turian's song within her subconscious. They meant to keep her grounded in the living world with this new binding.</p>
<p>“She's crashing!” a familiar accented female voice shouted out of nowhere.</p>
<p>It meant nothing as she floated there, wrapped in her lover’s presence. She could almost feel his arms around her and it was the best thing in the world. The sensation didn’t last long, however. Her chest clenched and her body jolted in the distance of her awareness. There was a sense of urgency building within her.</p>
<p><em>~Come back… alive…~</em> he seemed to whisper from a great distance before all awareness of him faded away.</p>
<p>“What just happened?” a male voice asked, sounding somewhat stunned and irritated at the same time.</p>
<p>“I don't know...” the woman said in confusion.</p>
<p><em>Miranda</em>..... That voice belonged to Miranda. Some of the growing tension in her mind eased with that knowledge. Miranda was a miracle worker. If anyone could keep Shepard alive, it was her. After all, she knew everything there was to know about the commander's biology. In another time and place, that had irritated Shepard to no end. Now, she found strength in it.</p>
<p>“You're sure this will work?” he growled at Miranda and she heard the pacing of heavy footfalls.</p>
<p>“I've already informed you that this is a <em>delicate</em> and very <em>time-intensive</em> procedure. If we rush it, we <em>lose</em> her. There's a lot of tissue damage to overcome and this facility is <em>not</em> as sophisticated as Lazarus Station was.” Miranda grumbled.</p>
<p>“Can you do it or not?” Shane barked.</p>
<p><em>Shane! Oh god, what does he want with me?</em> Shepard struggled to pull herself to full consciousness then. She couldn’t believe Miranda was helping him. <em>She doesn’t know. Miranda, you don’t know what you’re doing. Please don’t hand me over to that crazy bastard</em>. Thrashing around mentally wasn’t doing her any good. Shepard was no closer to the waking world than she had been when she first heard his voice.</p>
<p>“Yes. The growth tank was adequate....barely. She will have to be awakened sooner than planned. The tank environment was <em>not</em> fit for the surgical procedures she will need.” Miranda answered in a snappish tone.</p>
<p>“Fine. Do what you have to,” Shane growled quietly as his footfalls headed away. They stopped abruptly and he spoke again. “And abort those <em>abominations</em> she’s carrying. Fuckin’ genetic freaks. Can’t believe the rumors were true. My own <em>blood</em>… fuckin’ a skullface.”</p>
<p><em><span class="u">NO!</span></em> <em>No! No, you can’t! Miranda, </em><em><span class="u">please!</span></em> <em>You</em> <em><span class="u">can’t!</span></em> Shepard screamed and clawed at the darkness within her own mind. She begged. She cried out and pleaded, willing herself up to full consciousness.</p>
<p>The moment she heard the door slam shut, she felt Miranda’s cool hand on her shoulder. Her voice was low and near her left ear. “I know you can hear me, Shepard. Your brainwaves are off the charts.”</p>
<p>Shepard managed a quiet moan and a single tear rolled down her left cheek. Miranda’s cool thumb brushed it away gently. The fingers of her left hand twitched at the contact.</p>
<p>“That <em>bastard</em> might have abducted me, but he didn’t force me to help you.” Miranda said quietly as Shepard felt movement. The surface she was on was being pushed somewhere. “Don’t worry, I’m getting you out of here. He can’t <em>force</em> me to abort your pregnancy… if you’re <em>not</em> here.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus squinted in the bright sunlight as he stepped outside Normandy's airlock. Joker had finally convinced him to get some real air and maybe take a look at the damage to the hull. The turian snorted at that. <em>Always making up excuses to get work out of me</em>.</p>
<p>Looking off toward the rear of the ship, he saw the Prothean structures some of the crew had been talking about. With main power up and running again, some systems were functioning. The galaxy map pegged this world as Titan, one of Saturn’s many moons. The humans on board claimed it hadn’t been explored due to its supposed methane atmosphere.</p>
<p>“I think it’s pretty clear, this isn’t methane.” Garrus murmured more to himself than the pilot as he took in the dense plant life surrounding them.</p>
<p>“Yeah, well… sensor readings said it was. Even our sensors were screamin’ warnings as we were… you know… <em>crashing.</em>” Joker grumbled.</p>
<p>Garrus glanced back at him before stepping down off the mound of rocks they’d plowed up as the ship had dug itself in. He glanced up at the odd shimmering ribbon that swept across the sky from time to time.</p>
<p>“That has to be the reason.” Garrus said, pointing up at it. “Must be some kinda shield.”</p>
<p>“Still active after 50,000 years? I don’t buy it.” Joker said skeptically.</p>
<p>“Whatever it is, we should probably check it out before we leave. It might prevent the Normandy from breaching the atmosphere.” Garrus reasoned.</p>
<p>“If you say so, boss.” Joker said automatically. His eyes found those of the turian when he heard the sharp intake of breath. He visibly paled and took his hat off, running a hand over his short cropped hair. “Shit… I’m sorry…”</p>
<p>Garrus put a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed it with a nod and a sigh. “It’s alright. We’re gonna go find her.”</p>
<p>“Just as soon as we get off this rock.” Joker agreed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Unexpected Savior</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You can't clone everything...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shane stomped into the station’s rear lab and ran his hand through the curly mop of hair that had already grown too long. <em>Pregnant, she’s pregnant with that monster’s bastard. Oh, but it’s not just one… no… it has to be twins</em>. He kicked a crate near the door in frustration.</p><p>“Cut it out, asshole.” came a familiar feminine bark from the workbench a few feet away.</p><p>The clone they’d found on this station was so much more advanced than the one they’d lost on the Citadel. She was already awake when they got here and she’d been sifting through all the information stored in the data banks on his twin. The woman was calmer, more in control and sure of herself than the first clone had been. She’d even taken his sister’s middle name as her own.</p><p>Just as the first clone had, Jane took to technology like a fish to water. The difference was, this one had some biotic skill as well. She certainly wasn’t as strong as his sister, but she wasn’t half bad either. The woman glared at him now before returning her attention to the circuit board she was soldering.</p><p>“Pregnant, isn’t she?” Jane asked, but didn’t look at him again as she touched the soldering iron to a circuit.</p><p>“How did you know?” Shane asked in irritation as he stopped before the workbench.</p><p>“This close… I can almost feel her.” Jane set the iron aside in a holder and looked up at him then, her short hair straying across her face. She tapped her left temple with a finger. “I can hear her screaming… in here, but I can’t make out the words.”</p><p>“What else can you tell me about our dear sister?” he asked, squatting down beside her and lacing his fingers between his knees.</p><p>“I’m not her. That’s for damn sure. I’d have found another way to deal with the Reapers. Wouldn’t have sacrificed myself like that. Especially if I was pregnant.” she spat that last softly.</p><p>“You can’t tell me you’d have slept with that skullface too.” Shane all but snarled at her.</p><p>“I can’t say. I don’t know him.” Jane locked eyes with him then. He knew she saw the rage in his face, but she didn’t back down from it, not like the other clone sometimes did. “Maybe she saw something under that alien face you can’t. You hate ‘em all, but… do you even know why?”</p><p>“They’re not natural, sis. They’re not <em>like</em> us… and they control too much of the galaxy.” Shane raged at her.</p><p>“No, I think you got that wrong. <em>I’m</em> not natural.” her eyes bored into his, so much like his twin’s. She didn’t blink and her expression remained neutral as she continued. “You see, the aliens evolved on their homeworlds, same as us. They control most of the galaxy because there are <em>more</em> of them than us. Plus they were out here first.” she looked away to pick up a data pad from the table beside her work. She skimmed over it, scrolling through text with her thumb. “Good thing they were here first. Seems like most of humanity are idiots.”</p><p>“What have you been reading?” Shane growled as he gripped the data pad with a couple of fingers and turned it in order to see the content. “<em>History of the First Contact War and Subsequent Answer to the Age Old Question; Are We Alone?</em> Damn, you don’t do light reading, do you?”</p><p>“There was little else to do on this station after everybody left.” Jane shrugged and laid the data pad back beside her work.</p><p>“I still can’t believe they just left you here.” Shane grumbled.</p><p>“I’m not <em>her</em>. I’m not Commander Shepard and I had little value after she took the Normandy to Earth. It was a free-for-all here for a while. I could have hopped a shuttle, left with one of the groups. I opted to stay here and wait out the storm.” Jane just seemed to watch him for a reaction then.</p><p>Her mouth was open in thought as she ran her tongue along the inside of her left cheek. It was a habit carried over from his twin and it threw him for a few seconds. He still glared at her, considering all that she’d said in the last few minutes. <em>This clone</em>, he decided, <em>might be just a little </em><em><span class="u">too</span></em><em> much like my sister</em>. He couldn’t let what she’d said about his twin’s lover go. “You’d keep the little abominations… wouldn’t you?”</p><p>“All life is precious, Shane… even theirs.” she sighed and rested her elbows on her knees to lean closer to him. “I thought this Reaper war might have taught you that too. I learned that lesson when the batarians tore through here and left me alive.”</p><p>Shane just wanted to tear her head off. She was too calm, almost completely devoid of emotion and it was infuriating. It was made worse by her reasoning. This woman was the closest thing to his twin he was ever likely to find in a clone and he hated her for it. The only thing she lacked were his sister’s memories. Everything else was there. <em>Night and day</em>, he reminded himself firmly as he stood.</p><p>“Chloe probably needs you anyway.” Jane nodded as her eyes followed him up. She nodded and turned back to the circuit board she’d been working on before he interrupted her.</p><p>*</p><p>Jane snorted faintly as she listened to his heavy footfalls walking away from her. <em>Idiot</em>, she thought to herself. She was perfectly content to ride this galactic disaster out alone on the station. When Shane showed up with his hostage, the doctor and her patient, she’d played dumb for awhile. After a couple of weeks it had gotten old and boring. Shane hadn’t seemed at all surprised when she revealed that she wasn’t a complete infant. She just shrugged it off and gone about helping the doctor treat Shepard.</p><p>That had been disorienting at first, seeing the other woman with a mangled version of her own face. She’d thought they might scavenge parts from her. Chloe had even tested her blood and tissue only to discover that the original had somehow deviated from their shared genetic profile. Jane simply wasn’t compatible with Shepard. She might have come from the same tissue samples, but they were completely different people.</p><p>Reluctantly, Lawson had looked their profiles over as well and drawn the same conclusion. Jane almost appeared to be the original. While Shepard appeared to be a mutation of the same tissue. Lawson said the cybernetics must have altered her based on her mate’s genetic structure. That was the only way to explain how and why the woman was now maintaining a surprisingly healthy hybridized pregnancy.</p><p>Jane frowned and glanced toward the door Shane had come through. She had a nagging feeling something was up in that lab. Getting to her feet, she walked over to that door and keyed it open. Sure enough, she spotted the cyberneticist struggling to move Shepard from the exam bed to a stasis tube. When she heard the door whoosh open, she gasped and looked toward it. A look of desperation pinned itself to the woman’s face and she struggled even harder to get the commander into that tube.</p><p>“Wait. You’re gonna drop her.” Jane said quietly and sealed the door behind her. She jabbed a screwdriver into the access panel next to the door before rushing over toward the pair.</p><p>“What… what are you doing?” Miranda asked in shock as Jane stopped on the other side of the exam bed.</p><p>“I’m helping you get her out of here. I assume Shane wants to terminate her pregnancy.” she paused and locked eyes with the other woman. When the scientist nodded, Jane looked down at the woman she had come from. “I can’t let our brother do that. It’s not his right to decide <em>for</em> her. I don’t think he’s completely sane. He can’t be, since he snatched you against your will.”</p><p>“Alright, help me get her into this stasis tube.” Miranda said thoughtfully as she hooked her arms under Shepard's.</p><p>Jane stopped her and pointed at her wrists. “Let me see the dampeners.”</p><p>Miranda frowned for only a moment before stepping to the end of the exam bed and thrusting the dampeners at her. Jane looked them over for a moment before pulling up her omni-tool and tapping in a series of codes. She glanced up at the other woman just once when she heard the huff of shock. With a final keystroke, the cuffs fell away.</p><p>“I thought the red wave shorted all our omni-tools out.” Miranda said as she rubbed her wrists.</p><p>“Oh it did. This one wasn’t active. It didn’t take much to repair the circuits and get it working again.” Jane said then waved toward Shepard. “Use your biotics to lift her into the tube. You’re stronger and I don’t have your level of control.”</p><p>Miranda didn’t waste any time in following the suggestion. It was easier on everyone and so much faster. With the level of Shepard’s existing injuries, they might have hurt her more if they’d attempted to manhandle her. The woman was a mess. Her left eye was a fused mass of scar tissues and that meant her depth perception would be shot to shit. The right arm was gone nearly up to the elbow. Most of her right leg was gone, taken just above the knee. The left leg wasn’t in much better condition. The cyberneticist and the doctor had been attempting to save it, but it looked as if the woman might lose everything there just below the knee.</p><p>The second Miranda sealed the tube and activated the hibernation sequence, the two women pushed it into the shuttle bay. Jane overloaded the camera there and rushed toward the shuttle to key open the hatch. She turned back toward Miranda and motioned her forward.</p><p>“You have to hurry. He’s gonna catch that pretty fast.” Jane whispered harshly as she helped the other woman haul the stasis tube onboard.</p><p>“Come with us. You don’t belong here.” Miranda suggested quickly and gripped Jane’s hand.</p><p>“I can’t. You need a diversion to launch the shuttle undetected.” Jane shook her head and glanced back toward the door of the facility. “That’s me.”</p><p>“He’ll kill you.” Miranda said softly.</p><p>Jane tilted her head with a small shrug and a smile. “He might… but I don’t think he’ll go that far. I’m the last of them and there’s something about me the others were lacking.”</p><p>“It must be a conscience.” Miranda squeezed her hand before turning toward the pilot’s seat. “You’re sure you won’t come with us?”</p><p>“I have to stay and keep them busy until you jump to FTL.” Jane shook her head and stepped out of the shuttle. She hit the button and the hatch closed before she jogged back toward the shuttle bay's door console.</p><p>Turning, she watched the shuttle ease out of the bay the second she opened those doors. <em>This is for the best. Shane would get what he wants and kill them all. Her babies would never be born. This way… this way they get to live</em>.</p><p>The shuttle barely cleared the station before it seemed to elongate and disappear in the jump to FTL. Only then did she step back through that door. Miranda was right, he probably would kill her, but saving those babies was worth any price. She just hoped he came to understand that one day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I blame Danypooh80 for Jane turning out all stoic with a moral compass.. =P</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Art of Alienation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A look, a word, a simple phrase... that's all it takes to alienate someone.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was setting when Garrus and Joker called it quits on the assessment of the hull. The damage wasn’t nearly as bad as they’d expected it to be. There were a couple of holes that needed patched and a few ribbits that had popped loose.</p><p>The cargo bay was the real problem. From the way the floor seemed to buckle in places, Adams was fairly certain there was a serious hull breach just beneath the deck plates. It made more sense than Garrus wanted to admit. Realistically, he knew a breach that size would require more materials than they had on board.</p><p>It was that thought that drove him to the lounge and the alcohol he had moved there from the captain’s cabin. He sat on a barstool and watched the garden world outside grow dark. That had become a habit of late. He knew that if Shepard was there, he might have enjoyed such a view. The thought of his mate brought his attention back to the bottle of turian brandy he’d set out on the counter.</p><p>Letting out a faintly keening breath, he poured a small amount into the two glasses he’d set beside the bottle. Picking up the glass closest to him, he clinked it with the one on the counter. “To us, ma-kee-sa. May the spirits watch over you… wherever you are.”</p><p>Garrus started to take a drink of the alcohol and hesitated, staring at the glass and tipping it away from his mouth. With a sigh, he set it down beside the other. <em>You can’t do this anymore. This is why you stopped drinking to forget, Vakarian. You get caught in the loop and end up in places like Omega. </em><em><span class="u">So</span></em> <em><span class="u">many</span></em> <em>bad decisions</em>…</p><p>Glaring at the bottle and glasses, he stood with a grunt and limped around the other side of the counter. Grabbing the glasses, he dumped them in the sink hidden there. After only a moment of hesitation, he grabbed the bottle and stared at it thoughtfully for a moment. With a sigh of resignation, he dumped it down the sink as well. He realized then that it all had to go. All the dextro alcohol, at least. Tali and Lilfrey might not be happy with him after he dumped it, but he knew it had to be done. It was the only way he was going to stay sober and deal with his loss. <em>All the better if Shepard’s found alive. I won’t be fighting down an addiction this time</em>, he thought ruefully.</p><p>Squatting down, he hauled the crate of dextro booze up from beneath the counter then. Setting it on the surface with a thump and tinkle of glass bumping together, he wondered if he should just get rid of it all right now. <em>It’s for the best</em>, he reminded himself.</p><p>Popping the tops, he took the bottles two at a time and poured them down the drain. He was on the last two when Tali stepped into the lounge looking exhausted. She stopped short when she saw what he was doing. The frown on her face grew more irritated with each glugging sound the bottles made.</p><p>“What… are you <em>doing?</em>” the quarian breathed when she clearly realized he was dumping the dextro stuff.</p><p>“Getting rid of temptation.” Garrus said earnestly, his gaze returning to the alcohol circling the drain.</p><p>“I hope you left me a bottle.” Tali grumbled and took a seat at the counter.</p><p>Garrus glanced up at her then and studied her face. He noticed the crack zig-zagging down the right side of the glass in her mask. There were a number of tiny holes along that crack and his visor was picking up the unmistakable leaks.</p><p>Releasing the bottle in his left hand, he tentatively reached for her mask, “This isn’t good, Tali. Your suit’s ruptured. My visor’s reading a number of leaks along this crack.”</p><p>“You didn’t answer my question.” Tali grumbled and withdrew from his reach.</p><p>Dropping his hand self-consciously, he nodded and reached under the counter for the last bottle. He set it on the counter before her and went back to clearing out the rest silently.</p><p>“I can’t take this.” Tali said quietly as she tapped a finger on the label.</p><p>“You can. I’m not going to drink it.” Garrus murmured as he tucked the bottles back into the crate. He meant to take them down to the recycling shoot.</p><p>“But this was your bonding gift from Admiral Anderson.” Tali reminded him.</p><p>“I think, under the circumstances, he’d understand.” Garrus hummed faintly.</p><p>“If you’re sure…” she said skeptically.</p><p>“Drink it, Tali. Enjoy it.” Garrus rumbled and headed for the door with the crate of bottles.</p><p>“Only if you have a drink with me, Garrus.” she suggested.</p><p>The turian shook his head as he stopped before the door. With a sigh, he answered her quickly. “I can’t. You know what happened in the med-bay.”</p><p>“It’s one drink, Garrus. It won’t kill you.” Tali breathed and cracked the bottle open. “Besides, this is the last bottle. You said so yourself.”</p><p>“That’s… not quite… true.” Garrus practically moaned as he set the crate down on the coffee table and took a seat beside the quarian. “But I’ll deal with those later.”</p><p>“So… you’ll have a drink with me? Last one before you become sober and boring?” Tali teased. It was clear she was teasing from the smile that puffed up her cheeks behind the cracked mask.</p><p>Garrus let out a sigh of mild frustration before taking a seat at the bar. “Fine. One last drink…”</p><p>“One last drink.” Tali agreed and poured them both a glass each.</p><p>The turian glared down at the amber liquor distastefully. He knew exactly what that stuff would do to him if he drank too much of it. He’d end up back in the med-bay, or worse. Chakwas had specifically stated no more alcohol for at least a week.</p><p>“To Shepard, wherever she is.” Tali said, raising her glass.</p><p>With a nod more to himself than the quarian, Garrus took up his own glass and raised it. Clinking it softly against Tali’s glass he offered up only part of his earlier toast. “May the spirits watch over her…”</p><p>Rather than downing the drink and allowing the quarian to refill the glass, he took a small sip and set it down. Cupping it between his hands, he stared at it thoughtfully. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there like that. Tali was swaying on her stool the next time he looked her way. She’d been talking about banging her head during the crash and waking up to a cracked mask. The quarian had even mentioned the geth programs that had uploaded themselves into her suit when Shepard brokered peace between them. They’d been augmenting her immune system. That must be why she wasn’t dead with the suit breach.</p><p>Garrus only really heard about half of what she was saying, the drunker she got. He really didn’t care so long as she didn’t insist he drink more. His glass remained virtually untouched between his hands.</p><p>“Take me to bed, Garrus. Let’s drown our sorrows in each other for awhile.” Tali slurred suddenly.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Garrus breathed, his eyes snapping to Tali’s face and he knew there must be a horrified expression plastered to his.</p><p>“You heard me. Shepard’s gone… and even if she isn’t… she’d forgive us for comforting each other. Let’s lose ourselves together.” Tali swayed toward him and he stumbled backward right off his stool.</p><p>“<em>Oh</em>… I… uh… I… should... probably go… and recycle those bottles.” Garrus stammered and backed away.</p><p>“Suit yourself, but you know where to find me if you change your mind.” Tali groused and turned back to the bottle of alcohol.</p><p>“Yeah… I’m gonna say… <em>no</em>... to that.” Garrus rumbled and snatched up that crate. He barely noticed an angry looking Natearus standing with her arms crossed just inside the doorway as he took off out that door like a shot.</p><p><em>What was she thinking? </em><em><span class="u">Spirits!</span></em> <em>I’m bonded… and she knows it. Why would she even suggest such a thing?</em> His mind was spinning in circles over Tali’s suggestion as he made his way to the recycling shoot. <em>She has to know I’ll wait for Shepard… no matter how long it takes. Maybe she doesn’t realize just how strong the connection is. She can’t know what it takes for a turian to bondmark their mate. I’m sure Natearus will set her straight. She didn’t look thrilled. Must have heard Tali’s suggestion.</em></p><p>*</p><p>Nana had barely stepped into the lounge when she heard the quarian girl’s drunken suggestion. The asari’s eyes shot to Garrus as the color simply drained from his neck. He shifted back away from the girl enough that he slipped off the barstool and staggered. When he quickly excused himself and shot passed her, she wasn’t sure he’d actually seen her on his way out.</p><p>Tali was sulking when Nana made her way over to the bar. She glared at the girl, but she didn’t seem to notice. The girl had her head down, face mask almost touching the glass before her. She noted with an approving nod, the second glass that looked virtually untouched.</p><p>“And what are you thinkin’, girl?” Nana grumbled at Tali, drawing her attention sharply.</p><p>“<em>Natearus!</em> Hi…..” Tali breathed and swayed toward her, squealing her name. She blinked for a minute and frowned. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“You know what I mean.” Nana said in a low voice, giving the quarian a stern look. When the girl shook her head, the asari sighed. “<em>You</em>… propositioning that boy… when you <em>know</em> he’s mourning his <em>mate</em>.”</p><p>Tali made a tisking sound and waved her off. “Shepard’s not dead. And if she is… we’ll just get Miranda to rebuild her… <em>again</em>. She won’t know what he’s been doing while she’s gone.”</p><p>Without another word, Nana stepped to the other side of the bar and snatched the bottle. She proceeded to dump it down the drain even as the girl protested and reached for it.</p><p>“<em>Hey!</em> I was drinking that!” Tali complained.</p><p>“No, you were using it as an excuse. You meant to claim later on that you don’t remember trying to drag that poor turian boy to your bed. He has a <em>mate</em>, girl. And until he knows for sure what’s become of her, I can promise you, he won’t be strayin’.” Nana growled at her and kept the bottle out of her reach as she poured the last of it down the drain. Her next comment was quieter. “Can’t see him takin’ another mate the rest of his life if Shepard’s really gone.”</p><p>Tali gave her an exasperated look then. It was clear the girl hadn’t expected to be so easily tagged. After a few seconds, she simply looked down at the glass between her hands and nodded slowly. “You’re right. I’ve had a crush on him for years.”</p><p>Nana searched her face thoughtfully as a thought occurred to her. “What about that Reegar boy, Shepard mentioned?”</p><p>“Kal doesn’t see me that way. I don’t even know if he survived the last battle.” Tali said, sounding sadder than she had a moment ago.</p><p>“Maybe you should think about getting a message out to the Flotilla and find out.” Nana suggested.</p><p>“I would, but the comms are down.” Tali sighed and shook her head. “I’m going to go sleep the alcohol buzz off. Maybe I’ll take a look at the communications array tomorrow.”</p><p>“Now that sounds like a good idea, girl. You do that. Maybe your head will be clearer in the morning.” Nana said as the girl got to her feet and staggered toward the door. The second the door closed behind her the asari took a seat on one of the barstools and pressed her forehead to the cool surface of the counter. Her words were barely more than a whisper. “<em>Goddess</em>… I’m surrounded by idiots.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Damage Control</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The techs of the crew attempt to re-establish some kind of communications feed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Well this is fried.” Adams grumbled as he flipped the wires hanging out of the AI memory core in frustration. “We’re not getting her back online without a major overhaul.”</p><p>Tali sat on the bench with EDI’s synthetic body propped on the floor against it between her knees. She had the back of the head open with a small instrument probing around inside. Biting back a curse as sparks flew out of the device, she dropped the probe and shook her hand at the shock.</p><p>The quarian’s voice sounded a little hoarse as she glanced up at him through the cracked lens of her helmet and snapped. “She was inside this thing when that red wave hit us, <em>bosh’tet</em>.”</p><p>“I’m <em>pretty</em> sure that’s an insult.” Adams purred and stopped before her, glaring at the android body sitting on the floor. Finally, he let out a sigh and locked eyes with her. “You really think she’s in there?”</p><p>“She’s not in there.” Tali said, waving the newly retrieved instrument at the AI core. “The algorithm was installed into <em>this</em> unit. EDI was in <em>here</em> when the wave hit us. I just have to access the reset button, reboot the positronic network and…..”</p><p>The synthetic woman before her issued a long tone that sounded like a geth dying as she jolted forward. The AI shuddered for a moment and Tali quickly pinched the ends of a severed wire together. The shuddering ceased and she twisted them off.</p><p>“Running system diagnostics.” EDI said smoothly. “I am unable to access Normandy's systems.”</p><p>“Yeah…” Adams breathed as he squatted down in front of her. “That’s because your primary memory core melted down when the red wave hit us.”</p><p>“The red energy wave…” EDI said slowly before her eyes locked on the engineer. “Jeff…”</p><p>“Joker’s ok, EDI. He’s a little banged up, but the last couple of weeks weren’t so bad.” Tali informed her while she put the AI’s head back together. “It looks like the algorithm worked for you too.”</p><p>“I don’t understand. Who else received the algorithm?” EDI asked as she got to her feet.</p><p>“The geth programs in my suit.” Tali answered. When Adams just put his hands on his hips and glared at her, she locked eyes with him. “What? You didn’t think that wave was going to leave my suit’s processor intact, did you?”</p><p>“Doesn’t that mean all geth have the algorithm now? Don’t they transfer data through their consensus at the speed of light?” Adam’s asked thoughtfully.</p><p>“Well… there <em>is</em> that, but the geth are our allies now. They’d started helping my people boost our immune systems by uploading themselves into our suits.” Tali reasoned. She wasn’t making excuses. These were facts she was stating and she would defend them with her dying breath.</p><p>“Yeah, ok… I get it. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come back and bite us in the ass later.” Adams puffed out a breath before clapping his hands together and rubbing them. “Ok, enough speculation. EDI, do you think you can boost the communications array? Maybe re-establish contact with the Alliance. Tali says she can patch you into the network.”</p><p>“If a connection can be established between this body and Normandy’s systems, I can provide the missing data the comm link requires.” EDI said.</p><p>It sounded like agreement to Tali and she set about hooking a cable between the synthetic woman and the bank of Normandy systems still functioning. The process was relatively quick. The AI routed through the connection the second the quarian locked the cable in place.</p><p>“Anything?” Adams asked hopefully after a moment.</p><p>“I cannot establish a remote connection with Normandy’s primary systems. It appears several circuits have been fused.” EDI stated and continued processing for a moment longer. “Establishing extranet connection…. There is an error in the system. The communications array is physically damaged.”</p><p>“That’s just great.” Adams growled with a sigh. “We’ve been running damage control for well over a couple of weeks now. We gotta get this bird in the air soon. The dextro supplies aren’t gonna last forever.”</p><p>Tali eyed him thoughtfully then. She knew the levo crew would be fine. The planet they’d crashed on was overrun with sources of food. Like any levo based planet, there just weren’t that many dextro sources available. She, Garrus and Lilfrey would likely starve to death in a few more weeks if they didn’t get off this planet.</p><p>“Then we just go outside and fix the array.” Tali suggested the most obvious solution.</p><p>“I don’t think <em>you</em> can. At least not without some kind of sealant for those cracks.” Adams said, waving at her face mask.</p><p>Tali sighed and reached up to it. She frowned and shook her head before taking it off completely. The mouthpiece dropped and receded with a grinding noise. “My suit hasn’t been a sealed, clean environment since the crash.”</p><p>“You know, there’s an old Earth flick… <em>Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hide</em>. You should probably watch that. It might just give you some insight into <em>why</em> testing stuff on yourself is a bad idea.” Adams just shook his head and released an exasperated breath.</p><p>Clearly the human hadn’t really believed she’d tested the algorithm on the geth programs in her suit. “Well, I’m not dead and we needed to be sure it wasn’t going to permanently disable EDI.”</p><p>“Fine. You win. It’s done anyway.” Adams sighed with a nod as he ran a hand over his brow. “Let’s just… get that array working again.”</p><p>“I have re-established internal communications.” EDI announced abruptly.</p><p>“EDI, you’re a gem.” Adams breathed and tapped a couple of keys on the console nearby. “Captain, you ready to get outside contact established?”</p><p>“What else needs done to make that happen?” Vakarian’s voice came over the intercom clearly.</p><p>Tali was impressed with the lack of hesitation on the turian’s part. Only a week ago, he’d been wallowing in misery, drinking himself into a stupor until he’d landed in the doctor’s care. Now it seemed as if he’d taken control again. She berated herself now for attempting to get him drunk and propositioning him. <em>I know better. I know what Shep means to him… what she means to all of us. What was I thinking?</em> Sighing, she glanced up at the ceiling for a moment as if she could see through it to the CIC. <em>It won’t happen again</em>.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus was already up on the Normandy’s nose, just behind the forward viewport when Tali and Adams appeared outside the airlock. He rolled his eyes at the sight of the quarian. <em>Spirits, I hope she doesn’t remember what she asked me last night. I could use a little less… awkwardness today</em>.</p><p>As the two of them climbed up to his position, his mandibles snapped to his face with an audible click. He blurted the question out before he could give it a second thought. “Where’s your mask?”</p><p>“You were right, my suit was ruptured and leaking.” Tali said shortly.</p><p>“But… aren’t you gonna die?” <em>way to go, Vakarian. Forget what tact is?</em> He groaned inwardly, but allowed the question to stand.</p><p>“For your information, Garrus, if I was going to die from a suit rupture, I would already be dead.” Tali snapped irritably as she squatted down across from him with the array between them. “The geth programs in my suit have been rebuilding my immune system since we retook Rannoch.”</p><p>“Can we just… you know… get this thing fixed without killing each other here?” Adams asked, drawing their attention back to the array as he unpacked a tool kit.</p><p>“Yeah… that’s probably a good idea.” Garrus murmured and twisted the cone shielding the array with both hands. He grunted with effort when it finally broke loose.</p><p>Between the three of them, Tali’s hands were the smallest. She used that to her advantage now, reaching into the small compartment to pull wires and the box they were attached to out. The quarian spread those wires out carefully around the box that housed the actual array itself.</p><p>“Well this doesn’t look as bad as I thought. Not half as bad as EDI’s main memory core.” Adams said as he looked the wires over for breaks and scoring.</p><p>“I’m not seeing any shorts.” Garrus said quietly, touching the frame of his visor. He was thankful the red wave hadn’t done much to it. The pulse had popped a tiny fuse and he’d replaced that a few days ago.</p><p>Tali opened her omni-tool and scanned the box itself. Garrus narrowed his eyes at that for a moment in envy. He knew she’d eventually get them all working again since she’d managed that one. It was just a matter of time.</p><p><em>Time</em>, he thought ruefully. <em>That and patience are in short supply around here lately</em>. Glancing off toward the Normandy’s rear, he stared at those vine coated structures a short distance away. He knew they might need to get that shield down before they could even contact anyone offworld. His gaze trailed upward, following the glittering ribbon as it rolled across the upper atmosphere. It passed over them roughly four times a day. He wondered if it was visible from space as he skimmed the vague readings his visor took from it. <em>Doubt it. That kind of thing would draw attention</em>.</p><p>Adams must have noticed his distraction because the man followed his gaze toward the structures behind the ship. “We should investigate that soon. Surprised the locals haven’t converged on us yet.”</p><p>“Non-aggressive, or terrified of us.” Tali suggested as she worked with the circuits within the box.</p><p>Garrus looked back at her work and offered a hand where it was needed. She glanced up and nodded, locking those glowing gold eyes on him for the briefest of moments. He thought he saw a flash of disquiet roll across her features before her gaze returned to the work at hand.</p><p>“Hey,” Cortez called from below and pointed toward the rear of the ship. “Hey, Captain! I just finished the last patch, but we’ve got a problem.”</p><p>“It’s just Garrus.” the turian grumbled softly before scooting toward the rounded edge of the fuselage. He wasn’t sure he really wanted the answer to the question he was about to ask. “What’s the problem?”</p><p>“I’ve cannibalized all the kodiak’s hull plates to patch these two breaches, but…” Cortez ran a hand over his short cropped hair and scratched in thought. “Well… there’s not not enough left to patch the breach beneath the cargo bay. I’d need another entire shuttle full of hull plates to scrap.”</p><p>“Crap…” Garrus sighed and slid off the fuselage to land with a hard thump on the ground below. The brace on his right leg took most of the impact, but it still drew a faint yelp from him. He walked it off quickly, heading down the small hill toward the man. “What can we cannibalize?”</p><p>“Unless we start strippin’ down bunks… I don’t think there’s much else we <em>can</em> use.” Cortez breathed out in frustration.</p><p>“What if we pull up the deck plating and patch it in? Would it work?” Garrus asked thoughtfully.</p><p>“No heat shielding. It’d be like sealing up hole in a stock pot with scraps from a tin can.” Cortez shook his head and Garrus gave him a half frown. The man sighed and elaborated. “The floor plating would melt before we breached the atmosphere.”</p><p>“Then we have no choice. We have to investigate the ruins. Maybe we’ll find something there we can use.” Garrus sighed and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Calculating Strategies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The red wave hit weeks ago and the crew is still attempting to recover the ship.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I have established short-range extranet and communications access.” EDI said over the ship’s comms just before sunset roughly three weeks after the crash.</p><p>That was the moment the reports started flooding in. Liara rerouted all that data to her terminal. Joker was still in and out of the med-bay too often to deal with so much information hitting his terminal. She collected enough of it to realize they must be somewhere in the Sol System itself. <em>But there are no garden worlds in this system other than Earth</em>. The asari frowned at that realization as she began to route most of the information through the ship’s archives. Most of it went to the CIC and she knew Garrus would be pouring over a datapad as soon as he had access. She couldn’t blame him. They all wanted to know what had become of Shepard.</p><p>Most of what she saw coming through wasn’t good. The relays were gone or virtually so. Those ships that were too damaged to make the FTL hops were stranded in the Sol System. The quarian fleet was moored around Mars. the turian fleet, having taken the brunt of the attack, was stranded around Earth. Dextro supplies were running low, but the quarians were pitching in what they could. The geth seemed to have rebooted a few days after the wave passed. The Primes had taken it upon themselves to begin repairs on the Citadel. The losses were staggering.</p><p>Liara sifted through it all looking for some news of Shepard. She found a number of reports claiming the commander was MIA or dead. No one seemed to know for certain. She didn’t know how long she sorted through it all. Hours? Days? She ate, she slept and she dug through it all until a glimmer of hope sparked her interest.</p><p>The message was recent, just a few days old by the time stamp. The source was unexpected, but definitely welcome. It was the content of the message that drew the sharp exhale of breath from her. She grabbed a datapad and downloaded the information quickly. The moment it was done, she headed for the port lounge. That, she knew, was where she’d find him. Granted, he’d disposed of all the dextro alcohol, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t in the lounge. The turian had taken to sleeping there recently.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus still heard the song faintly at the edges of his mind. The notes were filled with melancholic beauty. Staring out of the viewport in the port lounge, he closed his eyes and allowed the humming melody to pour through his sub-harmonics. It had become a ritual of shorts over the last couple of weeks. It brought him clearer thought and balance even if he didn’t quite understand how.</p><p>That was how the asari found him when she entered the lounge. His hands were clasped behind his back and his posture straight as the stick Joker seemed to think was up the ass of every turian. At the sound of the door whooshing open, he glanced over his shoulder, still not quite accustomed to the full view without his armor.</p><p><em>I knew I should have locked that door, </em>he grumbled faintly to himself. The women on board, no matter their race, never seemed to make a sound when they entered a room. He was feeling a little embarrassed as he kept his back to her, arms crossing over his chest. It felt as if she had intruded on something very private and personal. In a way, she had, if he was honest with himself. His grief was driving him to seek solace in prayer, something he’d never really done in the past.</p><p>“Need me for something, Liara?” he finally asked, his voice smoother than he had thought it would be.</p><p>“Oh,.....actually....,” she stammered and came further into the room with a datapad. “I have news.”</p><p>Garrus took a shuddering breath and gently pinched the throbbing soft tissue just behind his nasal plates. “No more news, ok? I don't think I can take anymore of it. At least....not for awhile.”</p><p>“But....this is <em>good</em> news, Garrus,” she began.</p><p>“Liara,....<em>please</em>.....” Garrus Vakarian never begged, but he knew he was doing a decent job of it right then. His last words were barely more than a whisper. “I just..... <em>I can't</em>...”</p><p>“<em>By the goddess</em>, but you're more stubborn than Natearus!” Liara snapped, her tone suddenly turning sharp as she thrust the datapad at him. “If you won't <em>hear</em> me, then read it for yourself.”</p><p>Cautiously Garrus took the datapad. It was a miracle the thing was working at all. Tali had been working magic on some of the smaller tech on board. He wondered just how long it might take her to repair all of the Normandy’s systems. If given the chance, he was fairly certain the quarian could do it.</p><p>Skimming over the message, his breath hitched when the meaning finally sank in. In the last days since the repair of the array, there were countless rumors that had been circulating. Speculation ran rampant on the few frequencies they were able to monitor. This news, however, had come from an unexpected source; Miranda Lawson. His hands were shaking badly when he looked up at Liara. She retrieved the datapad from him quickly before he could drop it.</p><p>“You're sure this is real?” he asked quietly as he clenched his fists and crossed his arms to stop the shaking.</p><p>“Yes.” Liara answered simply.</p><p>“Then we need to get this bucket back in the air....<em>yesterday</em>.” Garrus grumbled as he headed for the door.</p><p>The turian was out that door before it was completely open. There were a few things yet to be done before they could safely take to the air again. The most critical of those was getting through that Prothean shield. Garrus knew they needed to find the source and shut it down. He just needed the right team to do it.</p><p>*</p><p>Liara practically had to run to keep up with him as he shot down the hall. He never bothered to glance toward the memorial wall as he stepped into the elevator. The asari simply followed him. She was fairly certain she knew where he was going. The conference room seemed like a good choice. Maybe the war room itself, but only if the holographic cartography system was working.</p><p>As the elevator rose smoothly toward the CIC, Garrus opened his omni-tool and patched into the Normandy’s comm system. Liara raised a brow at that, but said nothing. Tali was making rounds, fixing the shorted devices all around.</p><p>“Garrus to remaining combat squads; meet me in the war room.” the turian said quickly.</p><p>The urgency in his voice was palpable. Liara knew the others would respond without question. That was a natural command tone and she realized he must have learned to implement it on Omega.</p><p>Leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the elevator from him, she realized she might be getting a look at Archangel. <em>There are a number of ways this could go. Few of them are good</em>. The realization that the turian could simply flip a switch and jump from grieving to cold command was unnerving. She had known him a long time now and realized this was a side of him she had never truly seen.</p><p>When the elevator opened on the CIC, Garrus darted out of it, ignoring Traynor who was attempting to get his attention. Liara waved her off with the datapad she still held in her hands. The human nodded grimly at that and returned her attention to her console.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus came to a stop just inside the doorway of the war room. He hadn’t been in there since before the final push to the beam. His breath hitched for only a moment before he clamped down on his emotions ruthlessly. Shepard was alive and he meant to get this tin can in the air and go to her. <em>Whatever it takes</em>, he thought as he finally crossed the threshold into the room and limped down the stairs.</p><p>Looking around the cartography dais, he noted who was already there waiting for him. There was a curious look on Vega’s face. The man rubbed absently at his left shoulder, clearly soothing an ache there. Nana leaned against the raised level behind her, arms crossed as she stared at the holographic display. Her left hand was no longer encased in the medi-gel unit. Instead, it appeared as though the doctor had opted for a kind of wrap. The hand looked stiff, but not as damaged as it might have been. Lilfrey was leaning on her hands on the rim of the dais glaring at the holo-map. Javik and Tali were making their way down the stairs as he stopped before the console Shepard had used so many times.</p><p><em>So few of us here</em>, he thought regretfully as he scanned each of their faces. Cortez and Adams came through the door and the turian’s brow-plates shot up in surprise. When EDI stepped through the door, his mandibles dropped in shock.</p><p>Garrus didn’t miss a beat when he realized they meant to help in any way he directed them. He nodded faintly to himself before stepping back from the console and glancing at each of their faces. The turian wasn’t sure where to begin so he simply began where he thought Shepard would have.</p><p>“Our supplies are running thin. We’ve repaired what we can with the materials we have on board and we’re still no closer to getting off this planet than we were a week ago.” Garrus said and clasped his hands behind his back.</p><p>“We need a miracle, no?” James asked with a sigh.</p><p>“No, we need scrap metal to patch the lower hull.” Adams said thoughtfully.</p><p>Garrus touched a couple of keys and brought the holo-map around to their current location on the planet’s surface. “There are structures to our stern. We know they’re there. We’ve all seen them. What we don’t know… is what’s inside.”</p><p>Lilfrey, her eyes trained on the map, pointed at the structure closest to the ship. “We need to get in there.”</p><p>“The shield protecting the planet may well prevent Normandy from lifting off. We should consider locating its power source and disabling it.” EDI spoke up.</p><p>“Noted.” Garrus nodded and opened his omni-tool to create a NavPoint. “We’re heading in to grab any materials we can to finish the repairs. While we’re there, we’ll find and disable the shield’s source. I’ll be heading the investigation team.” He looked to EDI then, the mantle of command setting around his cowl uncomfortably. “EDI, I need you to monitor comms from here. If you don’t hear from us within an hour of our check-in times, lock the Normandy down and launch the last distress beacon.”</p><p>“Affirmative.” EDI acknowledged.</p><p>“Jimmy, Lil… you’re with me. We’ll keep the team small. I don’t want to risk people. We don’t know what we’ll find in there.” Garrus said, holding up a hand when he saw the others about to protest.</p><p>“I’d like to come. It’s not like I have a shuttle to pilot anymore.” Cortez offered.</p><p>Garrus thought about it for a moment and looked the man over. With a faint frown he nodded. “I don’t have to ask if you know how to use a gun… do I?”</p><p>“Seriously, Captain? I’m Alliance. We’re all trained in weaponry.” Cortez spread his hands with a chuckle. “Trust me. I can hold my own.”</p><p>“Alright… grab your gear.” Garrus said curtly and paused on his way toward the stairs when Liara stepped forward. He cut her off before she could open her mouth and pointed at the datapad in her hands. “I need you here… monitoring the data stream.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Don’t Break Your Toys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shane has discovered the clone's betrayal. Now he's on the warpath.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shane stepped through the door out of Chloe’s quarters tucking his shirt back into his pants. The woman was good, he’d give her that. She certainly knew how to distract him from the vicious circles his thoughts tended to cycle through. He glanced up sharply when he heard something hit the floor. Jane, the clone, sat down quickly at her workstation. He might not have thought anything of it if he hadn’t caught a glimpse of the sparks softly falling to the floor across the room. The lab’s door lock was blinking red, the access panel next to it shorted out.</p>
<p>Anger coiled through his core then and he glared at the clone. He noted the flushed look to her face, as if she’d been running to return to her seat. <em>Maybe she has. Maybe she’s done something she shouldn’t be doing, </em>a small voice in the back of his mind whispered insistently.</p>
<p>Rather than head straight for her and jerk her up out of her seat, he walked over to the lab door. The lock buzzed and blinked, flickering red. Glancing in Jane’s direction, he pointed at the access panel. “What happened here?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know. There was a loud pop in the lab.” Jane shook her head and glanced between him and the door. “I stepped over to take a look, but the door wouldn’t open.”</p>
<p>“So… you shorted it out thinking it would let you through?” he asked and looked for tells that might indicate the lie.</p>
<p>“Yeah… I didn’t think you’d be thrilled seeing me squatted down over there tinkering with the access panel. Figured you’d get the idea I was trying to keep you out.” Jane said casually as she turned back to the project she seemed to always be working on.</p>
<p>“This definitely looks like it was tampered with from the other side,” Shane grumbled and knelt down to look at the manual override. “But… I can get through any lock.”</p>
<p>In less than ten minutes, he had bypassed the lock and released the manual override mechanism. The door whooshed open and he stood, stepping into the room.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Jane sat there virtually holding her breath and wanted for the explosion she was certain was about to come. In the weeks since Shane and his ragtag team had shown up, she’d seen every emotion possible storm through him. His rage was a force to be reckoned with. It was worse than that of the batarians who had torn through the station all those months ago.</p>
<p>The snarl of rage and the crash of a crate from the other room told her he knew that Shepard and the Lawson woman were gone. He came tearing out of the room and b-lined straight for her after several more crashes. There was a murderous look on his face when he reached her.</p>
<p>“What have you done?” he demanded harshly.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jane said calmly.</p>
<p>“Don’t lie to me. You’re not good at it.” Shane snapped and hauled her up out of her chair by her jacket. His voice was cold when he spoke again. “Where are they?”</p>
<p>A slow smile eased across her face then as she glared up at him. Her words were a breath of satisfaction. “Well out of your reach.”</p>
<p>“I knew I should have disposed of you the second I saw you,” he growled into her face and shook her. “Where? Where did that bitch go? Where did she take my <em>sister?</em>”</p>
<p>Jane simply continued to smile at him, refusing to answer his questions. The look she gave him was one of defiance. He gripped her jacket in one hand and drew his other hand back. She remained passive and he snarled, lowering his hand.</p>
<p>“Can’t do it, can you, asshole?” she taunted him.</p>
<p>“I’ll find them. I don’t need you for that. And since Lawson claimed your tissue was incompatible, your usefulness is at an end… <em>Jane</em>.” he threw the name out like a slur, the combat knife seeming to appear in his hand out of the air.</p>
<p>Jane gasped and grabbed his wrist before he could plunge the knife between her ribs. She had no real training with her biotics, but she desperately grasped the energy now. It was enough to match his physical strength and she barely held his knife hand at bay.</p>
<p>“You don’t wanna do this, Shane…” she ground out between gritted teeth, struggling to hold onto his wrist.</p>
<p>“Yeah... I think I do,” he practically purred and pushed the blade toward her gut.</p>
<p>Jane pushed back, grunting with the effort. Shane’s eyes widened at the strength of her biotics when they flared up around her, encasing her. She knew she wasn’t a match for him, but if she could catch him off guard enough, she might just wiggle out of his grip. Her senses were alight, her entire body burning with the need to hit him with something… anything.</p>
<p>The neural shock was unexpected when it burst from her hands and raced up his arm. He shuddered, twitching and staggered away from her. Jane seized the opportunity his momentary lapse offered her and bolted past him. She headed toward the lab, hoping to seal herself in there and figure out an escape route.</p>
<p>Barely a foot from the door, Shane’s hand closed on her upper arm and yanked her around. She tried to slip free, twisting against his grip instinctively. He grunted at the twist and jerked her in close, the blade in his hand slamming into her gut with the momentum.</p>
<p>Jane gasped, blinking back the sudden sting behind her eyes at the pain. He released her then and she staggered backward, sitting down hard on the floor. Her voice was thick as she pressed her left hand to the wound. “You won’t… find them… without me.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t count on that, <em>sis</em>. I’ve still got the genetic tracer.” Shane sneered and held the small device up, tapping its side with a finger.</p>
<p>“It’s not… gonna work,” Jane grunted. She laughed quietly at the look on his face then. “I… <em>altered</em>… it.”</p>
<p>“I don’t believe you,” he growled.</p>
<p>“I <em>suck</em> at lying… you said so… yourself.” She huffed another laugh and looked down at the blood dripping to the floor from her side. “I guess… there really <em>is</em>… only <em>one</em>… Commander Shepard. I hope she… <em>guts you</em>.”</p>
<p>The edges of her vision were growing darker by the second, but a whisper of laughter still passed her lips. Her ‘brother’ would likely destroy half the lab before he managed to track down Shepard. He advanced on her then, the knife falling from his hand as if he’d finally realized exactly what he’d done.</p>
<p>“Checkmate…. I <em>win</em>….” Jane whispered before darkness claimed her.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“<em>Dammit!</em>” Shane snarled and hauled the limp woman up off the floor. “<em>Chloe!</em> <em>Get in here!</em> We’ve got a situation!”</p>
<p>The redhead appeared in the doorway a moment later. Her pale face paled even more when she saw Jane’s limp form hanging from his arms. Blood dripped from her side as he carried her into the lab. Chloe glared at Shane as she rushed toward them, her tone sharp. “What did you <em>do</em>, Shane?”</p>
<p>“She helped them <em>escape!</em>” Shane bellowed at the doctor as the woman looked Jane over.</p>
<p>“My god, you’re an <em>idiot</em>. You could have killed her… you nearly did,” Chloe snapped at him as she applied pressure to the wound. “We might <em>need</em> her.”</p>
<p>“You heard Lawson, her tissue’s not compatible. My twin’s body has changed too much… no thanks to that <em>mate</em> of hers.” Shane grumbled and ran a hand through his hair.</p>
<p>“That’s not what I meant and you know it. She has tech skills that you and I lack,” she said simply and raised Jane’s shirt enough to reveal the wound. She hissed at the size of it. “This is worse than it looks.”</p>
<p>“Can you fix it or not?” he growled and leaned on the edge of the exam bed.</p>
<p>“If you promise not to break your toys anymore… then I can try,” Chloe growled right back at him.</p>
<p>“Do it.” he snapped and walked away. He hadn’t meant to mortally wound the girl. Shane knew they still needed her tech skills, but he doubted she would cooperate now.</p>
<p><em>Not after you stabbed her, idiot. You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t try to murder you in your sleep. What were you thinking? She might be the only one who stands a chance at tracking down Lawson after the alterations she says she made to the tracer</em>.</p>
<p>“Keep me posted on her condition.” Grumbling to himself, he headed for the door. He was out of it an instant later.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Time Floats</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shepard is semi-aware of her current condition. Garrus and his team make their way into the Prothean structures.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard floated. She hated the weightlessness of space. It reminded her of the SR-1, of being spaced and of dying. <em>Twice now, isn’t it? Twice I’ve come back from the brink</em>. The first time was freezing cold, the airless vacuum of space and the fiery re-entry into a planetary atmosphere without the benefit of a ship around her. She couldn’t be certain that death had taken her this time, but if it hadn’t, it was a very near thing. This time there was fire, blood and crippling pain. <em>I think I’ve used up all my 'escape death free' cards by now. Of course, those escapes haven’t been free, have they? Lost two years of my life last time. How much time have I lost this time?</em> Her blood froze at the thought of what else she might have lost. She couldn’t think about that now. If her bondmate’s baby was gone… then it was gone. It would be a terrible price for her survival.</p><p>Vaguely the slow memories of Miranda and Shane arguing about her pregnancy drifted to her. She began to relax when she realized what that must mean. <em>I didn’t die this time. Miranda’s here and I’m not dead. And that means the baby has to be alright...</em> Her mind examined the new circumstances she found herself in. The rachni came to mind then. They wanted something from her. They’d gone so far as to send a couple of Keepers in to dig her out of the rubble. The queen had soothed her panic stricken mind with a song… and Garrus. He’d been woven into that song somehow. The memory was lost in a fog of pain. Old pain, sharp, mortal and past clouded it, but she could almost hear him. He’d been singing with them. Her bondmate was singing that lullaby he sometimes hummed to sooth her nightmares.</p><p><em>Miranda’s putting me back together again, isn’t she? She’s good at putting Humpty Dumpty back together. What does the galaxy need from me this time?</em> <em>Haven’t I done enough? I’m tired… so very tired…. When do I get time for myself, time for my own life? When do I get time to breathe? Or time to be with Garrus?</em></p><p>Garrus.... His face came to her mind’s eye then. The war and her death at the hands of the Collectors had changed him so much. Archangel had come out of the ashes her death had left behind. That vengeful spirit was born within him long before his team was slaughtered. She didn’t think the man she loved would survive without her now. He might continue breathing, but something profoundly <em>Garrus</em> would be lost. They’d grown so close, one very much a part of the other, since those first stumbling steps into intimacy. If someone had told her when she first met him that he would one day be as important to her as breathing, she might have thought they were on red sand. Now she couldn’t imagine life without him.</p><p>Her soul wept for him as she worried he might not be there this time. There was something in the song that had touched the rachni, something… artificial. They heard it and she wondered if the song they’d let her hear had come from him before the red wave... or after. They wove the Crucible's effect into her dreams and then it clicked; his implants. He would die if some of those implants failed.</p><p>The red wave she’d fired from the Crucible was designed to destroy all higher functioning tech. Mentally, she choked at the implications. She knew the algorithm Nihlus had given her might not have been applied to her bondmate’s cybernetics. They’d barely had time to apply it to hers. Even then, there were no guarantees.<em>I can’t do this without him. Life will be meaningless.</em> She did not have the strength for another push to save the galaxy, especially not if it meant forcing herself to keep going without him. Her will shook to its core. <em>Just.....let.....go....</em>.</p><p>*</p><p>“<em>No</em>..... Shepard, don't you <em>do</em> this! Not now, we're <em>so close</em>.” Miranda growled as the woman in the stasis tube began to thrash.</p><p>“She's seizing!” Dr. Hale barked as he circled around the stasis tube. “We need to get her out of there.”</p><p>“Don't you think I know that?!” Miranda snapped as she keyed in the codes to flush the tube.</p><p>As the 'waters' receded, the tube dropped back slowly. Those hydraulics had been non-functional on Minuteman Station. The move must have jarred them and knocked something loose. As the hatch opened, Shepard continued to thrash against the glass. Hale was ready for this, however. He indicated that Miranda should restrain one arm and he poked a needle into the pale flesh. The seizure slowed, but didn’t stop entirely. Clearly the medication wasn’t enough.</p><p>“One of the neural implants isn't firing properly. Any suggestions?” Hale asked the former Cerberus operative.</p><p>“I don't want to cut her open again. She didn't respond well last time. I think we can calibrate it with the stasis tube’s controls.” Miranda answered. She knew the tubes were built with maintaining critical patients and clones in mind. They were equipped with a multitude of delicate surgical tools.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus and his team left the Normandy in short order. The hike to the ‘ruins’ didn’t take them long. As the turian looked between the cubical buildings and the ship, he realized just how lucky they had really been. <em>Just a few meters… We could have hit those structures. They’d have torn us apart</em>. </p><p>The closer they came to those structures, the more he realized there could be no doubt, they were Prothean. There was something different about them, however. These weren’t the same kinds of structures as those on Ilos. Clearly they were old, but they looked somehow maintained. There wasn’t a heavy coating of moss or vines like there had been with those on Ilos. These structures looked surprisingly clean.</p><p>“You think somebody’s been living here?” Cortez asked quietly as they stopped just outside the parameter of the first building.</p><p>“Looks a little too clean.” Vega commented, keeping his voice low as well.</p><p>“We have known for weeks that we are not alone here.” Lilfrey grumbled softly as she stepped forward and placed a hand on one of the many markings on the wall before them. “The question is; <em>who</em> are they? <em>Where</em> are they hiding?”</p><p>“And why didn’t the Reapers... target them too?” Garrus finished the line of reasoning.</p><p>“Precisely. Clearly they have high enough tech to have drawn the attention of the machines.” Lilfrey nodded and lowered her hand. “So why leave them untouched?”</p><p>Garrus frowned and moved forward to inspect the script carved into the wall. “These are Prothean markings.”</p><p>“Perhaps we should have brought Javik with us.” Lilfrey suggested.</p><p>“Maybe.” Garrus rumbled thoughtfully before moving toward what looked to be some kind of door.</p><p>The second they were close enough to the door, they were scanned and a squalling sound pitched through the vegetation around them. It lasted seconds and the door slid into a recessed pocket. Garrus pointed to his eyes as he looked at the others and then pointed toward the darkened entrance. He had no idea what they might find within, but it was clear that the place was active.</p><p>James took point, Lilfrey right on his heels before she split off to the opposite side. Cortez darted inside and took cover against what appeared to be some kind of counter while Garrus drew up the rear. His sniper rifle was primed and read as he tapped his visor into night vision mode.</p><p>Nothing moved, not even the air. It smelled stale, almost musty. The room was huge with a number of chairs and consoles scattered around it. All were dark save one. The one near the middle, near Cortez’ position glowed with a faint yellow-orange light. It was the only source of light in the vast room.</p><p>Garrus made his way around to it the moment he was sure there was nothing else living in the room. He was surprised to see a number of different script options available along the side of the holo-screen. Tapping one he was familiar with, he skimmed over the available data and frowned. He tapped a couple of keys tentatively and turned with a start when something started grinding behind him.</p><p>“Uh… guys… the floor’s opening.” Cortez said in shock as he stood watching the irising hole in the middle of the room open wider.</p><p>“What we seek must be below us.” Lilfrey breathed and headed down the stairs that spiraled around the huge well-like opening the moment the hatch ceased moving.</p><p>“Lilly! What are you doin’?” James asked hoarsely as the turian female hurried down the railless stairs.</p><p>“Investigating. Care to join me?” she hummed, echoing through the room as she glanced up briefly.</p><p>“I’ll keep watch up here.” Cortez offered, eyeing the hole in the floor sideways.</p><p>Garrus suspected the man had issues with underground spaces. He didn’t much care for the idea of heading down there either, but Lilfrey was right. What they were looking for had to be down there. Nodding at the man, he followed James and Lilfrey into the cavernous depths beneath the building.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Escape Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The clone's survival might well depend on her resourcefulness... and her ability to escape.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jane came around slowly and listened for movement as she lay on the exam bed. She’d fully expected to wake up dead. <em>Yeah, right… if there’s an afterlife for clones, that is. No, I’m alive. The knife wound burns like hellfire. Why didn’t he finish the job?</em> That was an answer she was certain she’d never get and it didn’t matter. She was getting the hell off the station and away from the pair of lunatics who had invaded it. If she had to, she’d take one of the shuttles at the far end of the station. <em>Might be the best idea. That section’s been closed off since the crew left anyway. I’ll send a message off to Lawson before I tear out of here too. She needs to know that madman is coming for her. </em></p><p>“I know you’re awake, Jane,” Chloe said quietly.</p><p>Jane rolled up and braced herself on her elbows to look at the woman. “Then you know I don’t trust you… or that <em>fuckhead</em> in the other room.”</p><p>“I told him not to do anything rash when we first found you. I even told him to treat you gently. Clearly… he doesn’t listen,” Chloe stated.</p><p>“Uh-huh.” Jane just grunted as she sat up and swung her legs over the edge. It was obvious the doctor was trying to play both sides of the fence. <em>Not gonna work, doc. I got your ticket</em>.</p><p>“You still don’t trust me… even after I saved your life,” Chloe murmured, her back still to her as she poked around the counter a few feet away.</p><p>Glancing around herself, Jane spotted a scalpel on a tray near the exam bed. Without a second thought, she reached out and grabbed it. The second she had a good grip on it, she scooted off the bed. Before the doctor could turn to see what was going on, she rushed up behind her and laid the blade against her throat. “I’m getting out of here… and you’re gonna <em>let</em> me go.”</p><p>“You know I can’t do that, Jane. He needs you,” Chloe said, nonplused by her actions.</p><p>“Yeah… he needs me like he needs another hole in his head,” Jane growled and pressed the flat of the blade against the redhead’s throat. “I’m leaving before I decide to oblige him. You try to stop me… and I’ll gut you.”</p><p>“And where will you go? What will you do? You have <em>her</em> face, but everyone will know you’re not her. Her mate will know the second you're within range of him.” Chloe taunted her.</p><p>“I don’t <em>wanna</em> be her. I certainly don’t <em>need</em> to be. She can have her life… every bit of it. I just want freedom from the two of you.” Jane snapped.</p><p>“Oh… my dear girl, you wouldn’t survive a day without us.” Chloe purred.</p><p>“Funny… I survived almost two years without either of you.” Jane growled and leaned in toward the woman’s ear. Her voice dropped to a ragged hiss. “I think I’m good.”</p><p>“Well then… if you think you’ve got it all figured out… go.” Chloe chuckled, but made no move to stop her when Jane released her.</p><p>Moving quickly, Jane headed for the door. She glanced behind her, the knife still pointed toward the doctor as she stepped through the door. In a matter of minutes, she’d put a good amount of distance between herself and the doctor. Jogging down the darkened hallway, she turned off toward the closed wing. No one came after her.</p><p><em>I might just manage to get out of here</em>, she thought, but that tight spot between her shoulders refused to loosen. She stopped before the sealed door that led into the station’s command wing. Opening her omni-tool, she keyed in several combinations of possible access codes. The door buzzed and the lock remained red with each.</p><p>“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon…” she hissed to herself as she continued in her efforts to hack the door lock.</p><p>“Did you really think I’d let you go?” came the insidious masculine voice she’d grown to hate.</p><p>“Fuck!” Jane growled and tried one last code. Her eyes widened when it slid open. She rushed through it and hit the door lock on the other side quickly.</p><p>Shane growled and hit the door, glaring at her through the door’s window. It was rare to find any door with a window on the station. He hit the door a couple more times in anger before he set about hacking the lock.</p><p>Jane wasted no time, she looked around for something to pry the access panel loose with. She found a micro-calibrator and had the panel off in seconds. The lock buzzed and remained red as her ‘brother’ continued to work his hacks.</p><p>“Not this time, Shane…” she whispered softly as the panel dropped to the floor. She glared up at him through the window as she slammed the calibrator into the door’s manual controls.</p><p>Shane’s rage boiled over the second the holo-lock disappeared. He kicked the door, bellowing his rage. Jane heard gunfire as he pelted the door with bullets. That sent a shiver of dread up her spine and she turned, running across what turned out to be one of the station’s many shuttle bays.</p><p>Most of the shuttles were gone, used by the crew to escape the station before the Reapers took it. They could have stayed, she realized. The Reapers never hit the station. None of that mattered now, however. What mattered was getting off the station before the madman on the other side of the door managed to get through it.</p><p>Stopping before the shuttle bay’s console, she drew up the information she needed. No shuttles. The crew had taken them all from this bay. She was ready to grab a hardsuit and simply spacewalk her way out of there when a glimmer of hope presented itself. There was a small fighter still docked beneath the bay’s floor.</p><p>A few keys later and the fighter launch sequence was active. The seam in the floor parted, the panels sliding away as the fighter rose on its brackets. An alarm wailed as the shuttle bay door rolled back, the kinetic barrier flickering as it held back the void.</p><p>Glancing at the raging man through the small window in the door, she realized he might well get through that door as he raised his gun to the glass. She didn’t know if that was bulletproof or not and she didn’t intend to stick around long enough to find out.</p><p>The canopy opened on the fighter and she practically threw herself up toward it. She dropped into the seat and settled, hitting a couple of buttons to bring the canopy down over her. <em>Good thing I read those manuals after the batarians left. I wouldn’t know what the hell I’m doing otherwise</em>, she mused as she keyed in the secondary launch sequence.</p><p>Bullets ricocheting off the hull drew her attention sharply to the insane man on the other side of the door. He had managed to get through the glass, but nothing more. She knew he could do a great deal of damage if he hit the right spot on the fighter. It sent her heart racing as she keyed in the sequence a little faster.</p><p><em>Screw the pre-flight check. I gotta go now!</em> That was the thought rocketing through her mind as the fighter launched and threw her backward into the seat. Flying the fighter was much easier than she’d feared it might be. It took her a couple of minutes to coordinate her movements, but the second she did, she sped away from the station. <em>Anywhere but here is good…</em></p><p>The galaxy was big. Jane didn’t know where she should go. She didn’t know if the relays were still functioning after that red wave washed over everything, but the closest one was worth a try. That was where she meant to start.</p><p>“First… I need to send a message to Lawson. It’ll take him longer without me, but Shane will still find her.” she murmured to herself as she scanned the fighter’s system for a long-range shuttle-to-shuttle comm channel. She’d been on the station and alert long enough to know that all Cerberus vessels had such a channel.</p><p>The second she found what she was looking for, she zeroed in on the one shuttle currently in transit. As she sent the message off, she gasped in horror. Shane could track them both. He didn’t need the genetic tracer to track Lawson. He only needed her shuttle’s comm frequency. It was the same for the small fighter Jane currently sat in. He could track it. <em>But will he bother? He said it himself, my usefulness is at an end</em>. As an afterthought, she sent a second message to Lawson’s shuttle informing her of Shane’s ability to track her. <em>Best I can do</em>, she thought as she swung the fighter in the direction her stellar map claimed the relay was in.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Our updates may come a little slower as the story evolves. Bear with me on this. =)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Enemies Everywhere</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus and his team are ambushed deep inside the catacombs.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This… uh… this… looks like Ilos.” Garrus said slowly as they reached the bottom of the stairs. He stared at the walls and the hundreds of pods lining them.</p>
<p>“I saw the vids…” James nodded and moved forward a few more feet.</p>
<p>“This place is cleaner, better maintained,” Lilfrey murmured as she too stared at the pods. “I saw the vids as well. There seem to be more of them here.”</p>
<p>“Yeah… this looks like an old burial catacomb,” James said quietly. “You don’t suppose that’s what this place is?”</p>
<p>“No…” Garrus said shortly and pointed to a couple of the pods with his rifle. “These have power.”</p>
<p>“I don’t like this place much, Scars. It feels… I dunno… escalofriante,” James said, reverting back to his native tongue.</p>
<p>Garrus shook his head at the word. His translator couldn’t parse it. The things did have limits, after all. Apparently, some of Earth’s more exotic dialects were among them. Lilfrey was frowning at the man and he realized she didn’t understand the word either.</p>
<p>“Earth dialects…” she grumbled and shook her head.</p>
<p>“What?” James asked, spreading his hands. “It’s spooky.”</p>
<p>“Then that’s what you should have said,” Lilfrey grumbled and shook her head at him. “Idiot…”</p>
<p>“Hey, you bonded with this idiot.” James laughed.</p>
<p>“Did... you hear that?” Garrus asked the second he heard something clatter and echo faintly up ahead.</p>
<p>The team sobered, guns slinging into hands in an instant as they took up defensive postures. They moved deeper into the catacombs, but at a much slower pace. Garrus noticed Lilfrey was already prepared for anything that might come their way. While she kept her pistol at the ready in her right hand, her left hand glowed with biotic energy. He might have grasped his own biotics if he’d had enough training to direct the flow properly. Biotic skills were generally a learning ability and he had to master a particular class set. The thought occurred to him then to seek Natearus out when they were finally off this world. She could instruct him in the finer points of biotic skills. The asari would certainly be able to ascertain what class he might fit into and what skill set he should be focused on. He was fairly certain she would, if for no other reason than to teach him better control, after the incident with her hand.</p>
<p>Garrus caught movement out of the corner of his eye and shifted into a sideways walk for a couple of heartbeats. <em>Something’s not right here…</em> He didn’t see the source of movement. It could have been a shadow cast by one of them. The diffused lighting filling the vast room from the pods dispersed any hard shadows his team might have cast. Their shadows were faint. What had caught his eye was dark against the wall to his left.</p>
<p>The distinctive sound of an energy field, not unlike Javik’s form of biotics, drew a rumble out of him. He growled out the word when he glanced behind him and saw the offensive line of Protheans forming. “<em>Crap</em>…”</p>
<p>“<em>Dammit!</em> Where did <em>they</em> come from?” James barked the second he noticed the change in the turian’s stance.</p>
<p>“I thought Javik was the last…” Lilfrey grumbled darkly. She still faced forward. “We have hostiles… ahead as well.”</p>
<p>“Bastards…” Garrus growled under his breath. He knew just how much of a pain in the ass Javik was by himself. The turian didn’t want to think about how bad an entire race of ‘him’ might be. <em>And yet… here they are… Spirits, what else could go wrong…</em></p>
<p>“<em>Halt!</em> No further shall you go!” one of the Protheans stepped forward, a rifle in his hands aimed directly at Garrus. His drone hovered at his shoulder.</p>
<p>“We’re not lookin’ for any trouble,” James murmured, clearly not expecting to be heard.</p>
<p>“<em>You</em> are the leader?” the Prothean asked with a sneer. “A hairless ape from Terra.”</p>
<p>“They call it <em>Earth</em>,” came a low voice from the ranks behind him.</p>
<p>“I <em>know</em> what they call it, Sul’Koo,” he growled back at the slightly taller male.</p>
<p>“I’m the squad leader,” Garrus spoke up while the other was distracted.</p>
<p>“Turian… your species was running down their prey on foot when last the Prothean Empire flourished.” the male stepped forward to inspect him a little closer. “Your species has grown taller and lost the bend to the knee. A larger head for more brain capacity, I see. You’ve suffered cranial damage. Old damage. Surprising that you survived.”</p>
<p>“I… had help,” Garrus answered cautiously.</p>
<p>“Clearly.” the Prothean sneered again as he touched what Garrus had first thought was a drone. “Computer scans show you are augmented with cybernetics.” the male glanced back at his troops and waved an arm forward. “<em>Take them!</em>”</p>
<p>“<em>Crap!</em>” Garrus snarled and brought his rifle up to take them out if necessary.</p>
<p>There was no fight to their encounter. Before a single shot could be fired, the Prothean line hit them with a burst of green biotic energy. Darkness claimed Garrus the instant he hit the floor.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Cortez hunkered down behind the large desk and kept watch on the hole the others had gone down into. The sound of biotics discharging carried to him along with the green flash and he stumbled backward a step. He opened his omni-tool called to the team. When no answer came, he knew there was something wrong. This was the main reason he had remained up top. When the comms failed him completely, he realized he had exactly two options: he could go in after them. Or he could head back to the Normandy and get help. He chose to go in after them.</p>
<p>Keeping closer to the wall, he made his way down the spiraling stairs quickly. He saw no sign of the team as he came into a large catacombs-like room that reminded him of the vids he’d seen of Ilos. The diffuse light filling the cavernous room, he realized was coming from the numerous stasis pods lining the walls. Prothean, he knew that by their design. Like the others, he’d thought Javik was the last of them. <em>Apparently not</em>, he thought as he made his way deeper into the cavern. <em>This isn’t a good idea, Steve… You know that, right?</em> His mind kept checking off all the possible reasons he should turn back and get help. Not the least of those was the fact that whatever was down here might be hostile.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“Officer Vakarian’s last report was made one hour, twenty-five minutes ago.” EDI informed them when Liara prompted her.</p>
<p>“Damn.” Nana growled and looked around at the others in the war room pointedly. “We all heard the boy’s orders before he left.”</p>
<p>“We did.” Tali nodded and glanced at Liara. “Who’s going after them?”</p>
<p>“I will. Garrus could be in trouble. Shepard would never forgive any of us if something happens to him.” Liara announced.</p>
<p>“Alright, girl. Get the Prothean boy. If those really are ruins left by his people, we may need him.” Nana nodded and looked toward Tali then. “You’re comin’ with us. You owe that boy an apology anyway. Coming to his aid is a good start.”</p>
<p>“But… I…” Tali began and waved her hand toward EDI.</p>
<p>“The AI’s fine, girl. The Normandy can do without you for a little while anyway.” Nana snapped.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere… still got work to do in the engine core,” Adams spoke up then.</p>
<p>“It’s settled then. You’re coming with me. Liara’s gone to fetch Javik. She’ll be along shortly.” Nana all but purred as she headed out up the short stairs toward the CIC and the elevator. “Get your gear, girl.”</p>
<p>Tali was glaring at Nana, but she ignored her with a faint chuckle and limped up the steps. <em>Put this metal foot in her butt pucker, if I have to. Quarian girl needs to learn no deed, good or ill, goes unpunished</em>.</p>
<p>Nana wasted no time in making her way to the lockers in the cargo bay. Her armor was stowed there and she dawned it quickly. She’d thought, once she settled on Omega a few years ago, that she was through with wearing that gear. <em>A Justicar’s duty is never really done, though is it, Natearus?</em> She’d asked herself that very question a number of times since the Reaper war began. </p>
<p><em>Goddess, I hope they can be reasoned with. Maybe that boy Javik can get through to them. After all, if they are Prothean, he’s one of them. More likely to listen to one of their own</em>. She had no idea what they’d do if the turian was dead or injured. Liara was right, Shepard wouldn’t forgive any of them if something happened to him. She couldn’t imagine the girl having the will to go on if he wasn’t at her side.</p>
<p>Nana shook her head remorsefully as she wiggled her fingers into the last piece of her armor. <em>Hardest thing in the universe… losing a mate. Terlo nearly took me with him when his spirits took him. Goddess… hardest thing I ever did. If there’s anything after all this, I’ll meet you there, dear</em>.</p>
<p>Looking up toward the elevator, she noticed the rest of her team dawning their own gear. They all looked grim, as if they were gearing up to fight more Reapers. <em>No, not Reapers, dears. Maybe a bunch of 50,000 year old pissed off versions of our resident Prothean. Could be worse</em>.</p>
<p>The moment they were ready, they all looked to her for direction. She had, after all, appointed herself the leader of this squad. Even if she hadn’t, she was certain they would have with her Justicar rank. She knew she wouldn’t have told them no.<em>Don’t have it in me to let that boy die out there without at least tryin’ to get him help</em>.</p>
<p>“Let’s get this done. The sooner we know what’s happened to Garrus and his team, the better our chances of getting off this planet.” Liara snapped, grabbing up her pistol and tucking it into its holster.</p>
<p>“It wouldn’t be so bad here… if there was a reasonable supply of dextro food.” Tali chimed in.</p>
<p>“We aren’t stayin’ here any longer than we have to. About outstayed our welcome as it is, I think.” Nana grumbled firmly.</p>
<p>“For the captain’s sake, I hope you’re wrong, Natearus,” Liara said softly.</p>
<p>“Nana…” the old asari growled with a huff.</p>
<p>“I refuse to call you that,” Liara grumbled as they piled into the elevator.</p>
<p>“Fine, then call me Tear. Natearus sounds so… formal.” Nana groused.</p>
<p>It didn’t take them long to reach the ruins. Nor did it take them long to reach the catacombs below. They found evidence of the team’s passing, but no sign of where they had gone beyond a certain point. Nana kept them going, scanning the place every so many yards with her omni-tool. She could smell more than a trace of ozone as she moved along.</p>
<p>“There’s been a <em>big</em> biotic discharge down here.” the elder asari breathed as she continued forward.</p>
<p>“Like the asari, many of my people were natural biotics.” Javik said as he moved along behind her. “We are getting close, I can sense the inhabitants…”</p>
<p>Nana thought his voice sounded almost awe-struck. She couldn’t imagine what the last year must have been like for him. He’d effectively gone to sleep 50,000 years ago. To him, it was barely the blink of an eye and he’d awakened to a changed galaxy. His people were gone, the Reapers were back and life was on the brink of extinction once more. <em>What must that be like? How does it feel to know you may not be as alone as you once thought?</em> Nana couldn’t answer those questions. She simply didn’t have the tools to navigate them.</p>
<p>As they came to a point where she noticed signs of struggle, Nana called a halt. She heard movement not far away and turned to get a look at what it was. It was then that she heard the Prothean among them swear. Her head snapped in his direction and she saw the source; a number of Protheans were stepping out of crevasses between some of the pods at floor level.</p>
<p>“Javik?” came a male voice a moment later.</p>
<p>“Zokele… I thought you were dead.” Javik said, his eyes growing wide as he looked the other over.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Missing Pieces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Miranda contacts Hackett and lets him know she has Shepard.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Is this channel secure?” the former Cerberus operative asked cautiously.</p><p>“Yes, Miss Lawson. The comm is secure. Your message said you had urgent information?” Hackett stared at the brunette on the flickering screen before him. He knew it was the best their techs had been able to do so far. It was barely enough.</p><p>“I have her.” Lawson said quietly.</p><p>Hackett frowned, his hawk’s gaze locked squarely on her now. The woman had just become the center of his complete focus. He wasn’t entirely sure exactly what she had just said. “Repeat that.”</p><p>“I have Shepard.” Lawson rephrased her statement more clearly.</p><p>“Where?” It was a simple enough question. Hackett attempted to restrain the growl in his voice and failed.</p><p>The last the admiral had heard, the commander’s twin had retrieved her from a makeshift hospital on the Citadel and taken her to an undisclosed location. The man was meant to quietly ‘take care’ of the situation. True, Shepard had done them all a great service in ridding the galaxy of the threat of extinction. <em>But a posthumously declared hero is far easier to manage than a living one. She could have found another way to defeat the Reapers. All that knowledge… An entire database </em><em><span class="u">millions</span></em> <em>of years in the making… lost. Harper was right, destroying them was a waste of an unimaginable opportunity</em>. </p><p>Lawson was tapping out commands on the console she’d called him from. “We’re on Eden Prime. The Cerberus shuttle I <em>requisitioned</em> isn’t equipt for longer FTL hops.”</p><p>“Eden Prime… So it’s come full circle then.” Hackett muttered. The woman on the screen before him frowned at his choice of wording. Nodding after a moment, the admiral continued. “I assume the commander is in stasis. I’ll send word to the nearest frigate to pick you up. They’ll bring you back to Earth… where Shepard will receive the best treatment the Alliance has to offer.”</p><p>“I’ve seen your idea of the <em>best treatment</em>. I’d rather treat her myself. That way I can ensure the treatments are compatible with her cybernetics.” Lawson said flatly.</p><p>“By all means, Miss Lawson. I’ll personally endorse your continued involvement in the commander’s care. Expect the frigate to arrive sometime within the week. Hackett out.” the admiral closed the channel before the woman could utter another word. He thought very carefully how best to handle this turn of events. It could come back and bite him in the ass all too easily if there were any reports of Shepard’s survival of the Crucible.</p><p>Hackett decided the most prudent thing to do was to search the current database for any reference to the woman’s survival. If Shane had done as he was told, there should be wide spread rumor that Shepard had not survived. The Alliance had officially declared her MIA. It was just a matter of time before she could be declared KIA as well.</p><p>As the admiral skimmed over several news feed transcripts, he realized Shane was much better than he’d given him credit for. The horribly burned and disfigured creature the krogan had carried into the makeshift hospital was said to have died shortly after. There were no records linking that person with Commander Shepard.</p><p><em>Good, that makes this easier</em>, Hackett thought as he reached for the comm with the direct link to Harper’s boy. The second the young man’s face appeared on the screen, it was obvious his temper was boiling over. Shane glared through the screen at him as if he wanted to reach through it and strangle the life out of him.</p><p>“Oh this is rich. You call the second you realized I lost your precious package.” Shane growled.</p><p>“Commander…” Hackett began.</p><p>Shane held a finger up before him, the look on his face was murderous. “No. You don’t call me that. My sister is <em>Commander</em> Shepard.”</p><p>“Alright, Lt Cmdr.... is it Shepard… or Harper now?” Hackett smirked at him then.</p><p>“Neither. I’m taking our mother’s name. Fewer conflicting perceptions associated with it.” Shane grumbled as he sat down within the frame of the screen.</p><p>“Sloane then…” Hackett gave the man a disgusted look. “To my understanding, Shepard’s a vegetable. How did she manage to get to Eden Prime with Miranda Lawson?”</p><p>“Lawson! That <em>bitch</em> took one of our shuttles. Oh, but she didn’t get away on her own. There was a <em>clone</em> here on Minuteman Station… Helped the cyberneticist get away with my sister and then escaped herself.” Shane ranted and ran his hands through his hair.</p><p>“A clone? As I recall… the clone was killed on the Citadel.” Hackett frowned and scratched at the stubble on his chin.</p><p>“Yeah… a <em>clone</em>. Not a very good one either. Tissue deviation… that’s what Chloe called it. She took the last fighter we had in dry-dock. One seater, no jump drive. She’s not goin’ far.” the man growled.</p><p>“Be that as it may, I’m sending a frigate to pick you up. You’re at least a week behind Lawson, but…” and Hackett emphasized the point by holding up a finger. “Lawson has Shepard on Eden Prime.”</p><p>“<em>Damn</em>… that’s where this fuckin’ war started. You think it's a coincidence?” Shane ran his hand over the back of his neck in obvious thought. “It’s like the planet is a focal point or somethin’.”</p><p>“Either way, the Fury is the closest ship to your location. It will dock with your station two days from now. Be ready. If the clone is still alive, they’ll pick her up on the way as well.” Hackett paused and glared at the man with all the authority his rank afforded him. “Don’t screw this up, son. You get your sister and her clone. Make sure they don’t return to Earth.”</p><p>“What about Lawson?” Shane asked.</p><p>“She’s your problem. Hackett out.” the admiral leaned back in his chair then. It was a hard choice, but he’d made far worse throughout his career.</p><p>Rubbing his hand over the scar that marred his right cheek, the admiral thought back to The First Contact War. The turian general who had left him that scar taught him just how far the rest of the galaxy was willing to go to keep the peace. Dropping his hand to the table, he realized he had to be willing to go just a little further. <em>Even if that means murdering a war hero? If Dr. Michel’s last report was right, Shepard’s pregnant with a turian/human hybrid. How far are you willing to take this? The shit will hit the fan the instant the hierarchy gets wind of that. This is the most viable solution, the least volatile method of maintaining the fragile peace we’ve fought so hard for. The question is; can you live with it?</em></p><p>“Retirement is starting to look pretty sweet right about now.” Hackett murmured to himself as he got to his feet. “Time I stepped away from this chaos and got some rest.”</p><p>*</p><p>“You’re too quick to judge.” Hale snapped as he followed the woman around the lab.</p><p>“Something’s off. Didn’t you see his reaction when I told him I have Shepard?” Miranda shook her head as she grabbed a few instruments and tossed them into a case. “It was almost as if he expected her to be dead.”</p><p>“The man just presided over the <em>biggest </em>victory in the history of the <em>universe</em>. <em>Of course</em> he expected her to <em>be</em> dead. <em>The Crucible exploded</em>. Half the Citadel went with it. Shepard was at ground zero. How many millions lost their lives on that station when three of the arms desitigrated?” Hale said in utter exasperation as he followed her around the room.</p><p>Miranda stopped and glared at the man then. “I don’t think you understand the significance of the situation.”</p><p>“Really? Enlighten me.” Hale said, resting one hand on his hip expectantly as he leaned against the table.</p><p>“Shepard is pregnant.” Miranda blurted.</p><p>“Well, it’s not mine.” Hale chuckled at that.</p><p>“No, you idiot. <em>They</em>… are turian/human hybrids.” Miranda snapped, eyes narrowing at the man who had been assisting her with the commander’s care.</p><p>“That’s….” the man straightened, all the color seemed to drain from his face as he considered the implications. “Well that’s just not possible.”</p><p>“The cybernetics Cerberus had my team install have… altered her genetic makeup somehow. I suspect it began when she came into contact with the genophage cure Mordin Solus dispersed across Tuchunka.” Miranda elaborated as she closed the case on the last of the instruments she thought she might need.</p><p>“That’s some serious shit, Miri. You’re sure it’s not a human pregnancy? Maybe a deformed fetus?” the man asked, almost sounding hopeful with that expectation.</p><p>“No. The genetic profile of the amniotic fluid is… unlike anything I’ve seen before. It matches both human and turian genetic profiles, but deviates as it merges to create a completely new organism. There are nanites coursing through the fluid that seem to be assisting with the genetic deviation in order to sustain the pregnancy.” Miranda explained and shook her head with a half smile as she considered the possibilities. “I’d call it a freak of nature and science… if there was only one fetus, but… there are two, Jordan. Two perfectly healthy hybrid embryos entering into the fetal stage.”</p><p>“The hierarchy is gonna have a fit. No wonder you think Hackett seemed upset. This could destabilize the… well… everything. The rest of the galaxy has always seen us as some kind of threat.” the taller man paused and ran his hand over his close cropped beard. “Hell... this could be the reason.”</p><p>“Our genetic diversity was the danger all along.” Miranda agreed.</p><p>Jordan frowned then and cocked his head to the side slightly. “But if this is a tech assisted pregnancy… how are the nanites still functioning after the Crucible?”</p><p>“They’ve incorporated a new algorithm that deleted all the subroutines related to the Reaper programming at their core. In essence, they’ve evolved beyond the Reaper tech they were based on.” Miranda said as she set the case down beside Shepard’s stasis tube.</p><p>“If that’s true… anything that algorithm was installed in could essentially evolve beyond the Reapers’ core programming.” he said thoughtfully. “Even the Reapers…”</p><p>“No. This algorithm would have been no better than a virus if it had been introduced into the Reapers core programming. It might not have wiped them out entirely, but it would have crippled them.”</p><p>“Then that might be the key. When was this algorithm installed into her hardware? It might have rewritten the nanites before she ever conceived.” the scientist latched onto the idea and began to run with it as he rubbed thoughtfully at his beard.</p><p>“Given the gestational age of her twins versus the exposure to the genophage mutagen…” Miranda began to follow his line of reasoning with some of her own. “I’d have to say no. The trigger is organic. The mutagen altered some fundamental elements of DNA and the nanites propagated it’s widespread reproduction throughout her genome.”</p><p>“It must have corrected a defect<span> with the altered DNA</span>. They were programmed to repair, not impair.” Jordan murmured as he glanced toward the woman suspended in the stasis tube.</p><p>Miranda followed his gaze and looked at the battered creature in the tube. She nodded more to herself than Jordan then. The woman had become her friend and she knew she would do whatever it took to keep her alive.</p><p>“They’ve done more than repair her. They’ve given her a life none of us could have imagined.” Miranda said softly and glanced back to Jordan. “I intend to see that she has a chance to experience it. I just hope the twins’ father is still alive… for her sake.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Conflicting Interests</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hackett's carefully orchestrated plans may be slipping away from him like so much dust.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Glancing back at his console, Hackett stretched his aching joints and sat down once more when an incoming call began blinking instantly at him. Patching it through, his eyes narrowed at the asari who appeared on the screen before him.</p>
<p>“To what do I owe the pleasure, Aria?” Hackett asked with a trace of irritation coloring his voice.</p>
<p>“Cut the shit, Hackett. I know you were playing both sides of the fence. News travels fast.” Aria all but hissed at him as she picked at her nails. “I know you’re sending that rabid varren after his sister. My advice… make sure the commander returns to Earth <em>alive</em>.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hackett grumbled quietly. He glanced to the right of his desk, looking for an excuse to cut the connection. “Shepard was killed saving the galaxy. We’ll mourn her, honor her and move on in her memory.”</p>
<p>“Don’t play games with me.” Aria warned softly as she leaned in closer to the screen on her end. “As I said, news travels fast. There are a pair of krogan here who dispute your claims. I’m inclined to believe them.”</p>
<p>“Wrex…” Hackett grumbled. He knew exactly who at least one of them had to be. “He made it back to the surface then. I heard he was on what remains of the Citadel.”</p>
<p>“He did. My father is many things, Admiral, but a liar was never one of them.” Aria snapped. “Now… Make the call. I’ll be on standby.”</p>
<p>The moment the screen went dark, Hackett thumped his fist down on the desk. He needed to make the call, but the orders would differ somewhat than intended. The two krogan he had thought could have been dealt with easily enough. Aria T’Loak breathing down his neck was another story entirely. She had too much pull in too many sectors. The right word to the wrong set of ears and he might well find himself in the middle of his own court martial.</p>
<p>Reaching for the terminal, he patched the transmission through to Fury's captain quickly. The man needed orders to make a stop at Minuteman Station. The sooner he got this show on the road, the better for everyone concerned.</p>
<p>“Admiral… to what do I owe the honor of the call?” ever the cordial captain, Nick Marshall nodded to him the second he answered the call through the static and interference.</p>
<p>“Your ship’s still in Horsehead, is that correct?” Hackett asked stiffly. He couldn’t afford to be too friendly with the man right off the bat.</p>
<p>“Yes, sir. We haven’t made the FTL jump to the Exodus Cluster yet. Trying to conserve fuel with so many of our depots destroyed.” Marshall answered formally.</p>
<p>“Good. I need you to dock with Minuteman Station.” Hackett stated, a chilly tone creeping into his voice.</p>
<p>“But… that’s... <em>Cerberus</em>.” it wasn’t precisely a question as the man frowned at him.</p>
<p>“It <em>was</em>. You’ll be picking up Lt. Cmdr. Shane Sloane and Dr. Chloe Michel on the station. Cmdr. Sloane will be assuming command for this… delicate mission. You will not hinder his decisions. Is that clear?” Hackett said sternly, his eyes boring into the younger man through the wavy lines of the interference.</p>
<p>“What’s he doing on a Cerberus station?” Marshall asked. To his credit he was always discreetly inquisitive.</p>
<p>“They were investigating reports of another Shepard clone when the Crucible stranded them.” Hackett offered. It was a lie, but he knew Marshall’s loyalties. The man would follow orders. He was Alliance through to his bones.</p>
<p>“Another clone? Isn’t <em>one</em> of her enough?” it was almost a joke as the corners of his mouth tugged upwards.</p>
<p>“Be that as it may, you’ll be searching the area for the clone. Sloane says she escaped in a Cerberus fighter. She can’t have gotten far. We need that clone in custody.” Hackett paused and glanced at the standby indicator blinking off to the left of his desk. “There’s one more thing, Marshall. Miranda Lawson left the station around the same time as the clone. Sloane said she smuggled a stasis tube off the station with her. I need that brought back to Earth… intact.”</p>
<p>“What about Lawson? She’s Cerberus, but she helped Shepard bring down the Reapers.” Marshall eyed him carefully.</p>
<p>“Bring her in. We need to ensure her connections with Cerberus have truly been severed.” Hackett said coldly.</p>
<p>“Aye, sir. We’ll set course for the station immediately.” Marshall nodded.</p>
<p>“Good. Hackett out.”</p>
<p>Sitting there staring at the darkened console for a moment, he let out a sigh of resignation. Reaching for the keyboard once more, he opened the standby link on a private channel. “It’s done. If they manage to bring Shepard’s stasis tube back to Earth, I’ll have CAT6 move her to a secure location.”</p>
<p>“Good. Make sure your team understands she’s to be brought back to Earth… <em>alive</em>. I don’t trust that psychotic twin of hers… And I don’t trust the Alliance any further than I can throw Omega.” Aria said sharply. “And trust me, even <em>my</em> biotics can’t nudge the station.”</p>
<p>“Shane will follow my orders.” Hackett said sharply.</p>
<p>“You sure about that, <em>Admiral?</em> It seems to me that you and he have your own agendas… <em>both</em> are in conflict.” Aria all but purred through the link, slinging his rank out like a slur. “Make no mistake, I want Shepard <em>alive</em>. I still owe her a debt… and I <em>hate</em> being indentured to anyone.”</p>
<p>“You know I can’t guarantee that.” Hackett grumbled. He was beginning to realize he was in the middle of a trap and it was about to be sprung.</p>
<p>“Her stasis tube <em>will </em>be intact when she arrives. Alive or dead, the rest… can be managed.” Aria snapped and glared at him. Her expression shifted then, softening a fraction. “Her body will be <em>unmolested</em> in transit. Is that clear, <em>Admiral?</em> I don’t want a single hair on her head so much as breathed on. She’s to remain safely undisturbed.”</p>
<p>“You do realize what you’re asking. Her… <em>condition</em> could upset the balance of power… the very peace humanity has struggled to maintain for the last thirty years.” Hackett growled, leaning forward to glare at the asari on the monitor before him.</p>
<p>“I’m very much aware of her pregnancy, Hackett. That’s exactly why I want her intact. I highly doubt the turian hierarchy will see it as anything less than a blessing from their spirits… given what she’s done for the entire galaxy.” Aria was making a point of not looking at him until she finally raised her eyes. Her gaze was cold, unforgiving then. “Her mate will, no doubt, shred you with his bare talons if he discovers what you intended to have done… and Omega will back him. Aria out!”</p>
<p>“This would be so much easier if the commander hadn’t managed to earn the loyalty and trust of so many.” Hackett snarled softly to the empty room. “Easier still if she’d actually died on the Citadel when the damn Crucible fired.”</p>
<p>Hackett mulled over the situation and how best to handle it. For the moment, his orders would stand. Once Shane took command of Fury, it was another story. He knew the man would keep his sister alive at least until he got what he wanted from her. The admiral was also fairly certain he knew exactly what Shane wanted as well.</p>
<p>“Her Spectre codes… damn… he wants to hack the archives. Change his own records. That has to be it. Why doesn’t he just ask? I could make this all go away… for both of us.” the admiral sighed and scratched his head thoughtfully before getting to his feet once more.</p>
<p><em>Sleep, that’s what I need. Talking to myself, the rest of Earth One’s staff will think I’ve lost my mind</em>. Ruthlessly he clamped down on his desire to mutter out loud as he walked through the corridors toward the crew quarters. He meant to get a few hours of sleep before Fury’s next checkpoint.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shane stood watching with his arms crossed as Fury docked with the station. He and Chloe had been stranded there for nearly a week since Miranda took off in their shuttle. If Hackett was right, the woman had spirited his sister’s stasis tube away to Eden Prime before the shuttle ran out of fuel. <em>That’s as far as you go, bitch. Surprised that shuttle made another long distance hop after we ran it so hard to get here</em>.</p>
<p>Still, he knew they weren’t going anywhere for a while. They’d passed through Exodus on their way here. The fuel depot had been destroyed by the Reapers. The system was depleted of eezo deposits. Miranda and his sister were effectively stuck on Eden Prime until a pick-up could be arranged. He was more than willing to provide that pick-up and toss Miranda in a holding cell. With her out of the way, he’d get Fury’s doctor to extract those little abominations he was certain his sister had been forced to conceive.</p>
<p>Those were the thoughts racing through his mind when he boarded Fury. Chloe drew up the rear quickly. The woman had no intention of being left behind. Honestly, he couldn’t blame her. He didn’t believe in ghosts, but that station, empty as it is, might just change his mind if he had to stay there any longer. There was definitely something to be said for a ship or a station full of people.</p>
<p>The CIC, like most human designed vessels, was at the front of the bridge. Shane couldn’t wrap his head around the why of the CIC being at the rear on the Normandy. It simply didn’t make much sense to him. He supposed there were merritts to it, but he just wasn’t convinced it was the best design. Even Chloe had attempted to convince him to no avail. Now he made his way to the CIC and the current captain.</p>
<p><em>Hackett better make good on his claims that I’d be assuming command here. Too many captains tossing out orders will create a problem I may be forced to resolve</em>. That was the thinking as he stopped before the current captain.</p>
<p>“Captain Marshall. I’m here to relieve you.” Shane mustered all the formal authority he could as he stood ramrod straight and pushed out his chest slightly.</p>
<p>“I stand relieved, Lt. Cmdr.” Marshall stood aside, hands clasped behind his back proudly. The second Shane took a step past him, he took a breath. “I must say, this is somewhat… unprecedented.”</p>
<p>“This is my field promotion to Commander. Hackett’s orders.” Shane said sharply.</p>
<p>“I see. Very well. Carry on, Commander.” Marshall nodded and walked away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. No Escape from Reality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Javik recognizes the elder Prothean among those surrounding them. Garrus has a vision of Shepard and he begins to question his sanity.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Javik stared at the small group of Protheans. His eyes roved over them, feasting on the sight of them. He watched the eldest among them look him over as well.</p><p>Zokele huffed a faint laugh then and nodded. “I could say the same of you, old friend.”</p><p>“I <em>should</em> be dead. The entire stasis chamber on Eros was destroyed. <em>I</em>… was the sole survivor.” The last few words from Javik’s mouth were closer to a whisper.</p><p>“That is… unfortunate. Some of our best warriors were on Eros,” Zokele said with a sad sigh as he looked Javik over more closely. “You travel with these primitives? They seem… more advanced than when last I awoke.”</p><p>“Awoke?” Javik asked, all four of his eyes snapping to his former commander’s face.</p><p>“Ah, yes, you wouldn’t know. This colony was an experiment of sorts. Highly classified and rigorously protected. Every thousand years… one of us is awakened to teach a new generation,” Zokele said thoughtfully.</p><p>“I do not understand. Teach what? To whom? Our people are <em>dead</em>…” Javik groused.</p><p>Zokele merely chuckled softly at that and waved his hand at those around him. “Do we look dead, Javik? This cell <em>thrives</em>. A few of ‘the ancients’, as they’ve come to know us, awaken from hibernation every few generations. We provide insights into our culture, science, and even survival skills before we return to the stasis pods. When the need arises, we even provide fresh genetic material to promote the stability of the cell.”</p><p>“How have you avoided detection by the Reapers?” Liara asked, stepping up to Javik’s side.</p><p>“Asari… the hope for the future, as I recall.” Zokele looked her over, but there was none of the disdain Javik had thought to see in the elder’s face. “The shield isolates us, cloaks us from all. It is a double-edged sword. None may detect us, but, in turn, we may not leave.”</p><p>“So you’re saying we’re stuck here?” Tali asked, the expression on her now maskless face almost one of horror.</p><p>“Perhaps,” Zokele breathed and looked her face over thoughtfully.</p><p>“We need to get off this rock, but first… where’s the other team that came down here? A couple of humans with a pair of turians? You haven’t <em>seen</em> them… <em>have</em> you?” Natearus pushed her way into the conversation then.</p><p>“Ah… yes. We have them.” Zokele’s sharp intake of breath was not unexpected. By the look on his face, he must have known the question was coming sooner rather than later.</p><p>“I’m gonna need you to let them go,” Natearus growled, her biotics sheathing her fist.</p><p>“A show of force is not required here, Justicar.” Javik barked at her before turning his attention back to the elder. “We would see our shipmates, Zokele.”</p><p>“I’m afraid that isn’t possible. One of the turians was caught smuggling unknown tech within his body. Unfortunately for him, that tech was short-circuiting. A team of our brightest specialists are with him now,” Zokele stated, his head held high as he held up a hand to forestall their questions and demands.</p><p>“Oh, <em>kheela!</em> What are you doing to him?” Tali squawked, taking a step forward.</p><p>“Saving his life, young quarian. His implants were killing him,” Zokele answered compassionately.</p><p>“I suggest you take us to him… <em>now</em>,” Natearus growled, her fist glowing brighter as her anger boiled.</p><p>“The Justicar is correct, Zokele. These people are not the primitives we once knew them to be.” Javik grumbled and waved his hand at Tali then. “The quarian is right as well, we must leave this planet and return to our fleets.”</p><p>“The Reapers… They have returned.” It wasn’t a question as the elder nodded regretfully. “I’m afraid leaving is not an option. Not so long as the Reapers remain active in this cycle.”</p><p>“You misunderstand. The Reapers are defeated. The turian you claim smuggled tech… His mate has defeated them. We are <em>free</em>.” Javik gave him a genuine smile then.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus heard the rachni in the darkness of his own mind. He knew that couldn’t be a good sign. The last time he’d heard them, he’d ended up in that sparsely wooded forest. <em>She</em> had been there and that soothed his building anxiety more than he could have hoped for.</p><p><em>Shepard…</em> He nearly keened the word. The turian knew there was a chance he might see her within that odd realm that seemed to exist between worlds. Even if she was only a spirit, she would be a sight for sore eyes. It had been nearly a month since he’d last laid eyes on his mate.</p><p>Sinking deeper into what he knew must be unconsciousness, Garrus began to notice the area around himself shifting, taking on substance and form. The trees that faded into existence around him were familiar this time. There were differences, however. He took note of the lack of ash sifting through the air. Instead, there were green leaves and fuzzy little white things he couldn’t identify. What he could see of the sky was bright and clear, and beneath his feet there was greenery sprouting everywhere.</p><p>Garrus knew what it must mean. He was certain it meant the galaxy was healing. Glancing at the velvety carpet of green beneath his toes, he wondered exactly what it was called. It felt exotic under his bare feet. That was when he realized both his hands and his feet were bare.</p><p>A warm breeze sighed through this strange new forest, and upon it was carried the scent of yoba blossoms. Shepard had described them once as Earth roses dipped in honey. Having scented both references in her company, he understood exactly how she might register the fragrance that way.</p><p>“Shepard and Vakarian aren’t storming heaven just yet, lover.” came the warm voice he’d longed to hear.</p><p>Garrus let out a shuddering breath before turning on that park bench to look at her. Her flesh was no longer blistered, burned, and angry. It was healing, the scars of her survival softening as time marched forward. His eyes roved over her form, starving for any vision of her his mind might offer him. They paused on the slight bulge of her belly against the civvies she wore.</p><p>“It’s true?” were the only words he could force past his throat.</p><p>Shepard simply smiled and nodded at him as she ran her hands over her belly lovingly. She stepped closer to the back of the park bench he sat on then. Her one good eye seemed to sparkle all the brighter.</p><p>Garrus hadn’t expected her to feel so real when her left hand reached out for his. Her hand was just as warm as he remembered it. Some part of him insisted that this was just an elaborate dream. That the rachni were somehow spinning the visions through his subconscious with their faint song. He realized, the second she brought his hand to her belly and smoothed his palm over it, that he didn’t care if this was real or not.</p><p>Her voice was firm yet soft as she locked her eye to his. “Yours…”</p><p>A shuddering keen ripped through his chest and he found himself climbing recklessly over the bench to wrap his arms around the tiny human that meant so much to him. He buried his face in her shoulder, inhaling her scent deeply into his sinuses. She felt real, but he knew this was just a dream. Even still, his knees gave out and he sank to the ground. Shepard allowed him to take her with him.</p><p>“Spirits… I thought I’d lost you. The reports coming in say you’re dead; killed in action.” he murmured against her skin.</p><p>“Not yet, lover. I’m going back to Earth,” she whispered against his ear-pore, her hands rubbing his carapace all the way to the small of his back.</p><p>“Back home.” he agreed.</p><p>“No… you’re my home,” she said softly, her hands caressing his mandibles as he pulled himself back far enough to look at her. “You always will be.”</p><p>“Is this a dream? If it is… I don’t think I want to wake up,” Garrus asked her.</p><p>Pressing her forehead to his, she smiled and caressed the scales behind his mandibles. “No, but you <em>will</em> wake up.”</p><p>“How?” he asked her in confusion.</p><p>“The rachni. The queen bound our souls together in their songs when her brood found me. They <em>hear</em> you, Garrus,” Shepard answered and kissed him then.</p><p>The moment she broke the kiss, she got to her feet and offered him a hand. It was then that he noticed her right hand was augmented with external robotics to assist with movement. He took her hand anyway and allowed her to haul him to his feet.</p><p>Running a talon delicately over the metal, he frowned at the merger between flesh and tech. He wondered how much more of her had been replaced. To him, it really didn’t matter. So long as she was alive he would love her no matter what.</p><p>“Miranda’s work. She’s good at putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Still a long way to go...” Shepard answered his unasked question. “It’s time to go, Garrus. Time to wake up… and come home to me.”</p><p>“I wanna stay,” he keened shamelessly.</p><p>Shepard simply smiled and caressed his scarred mandible the way she always did when his nerves were jangling. “You can’t, but we’ll be together again.”</p><p>A long mournful keen broke through the full range of his dual larynx as the world seemed to fade away around him. He was curled on his left side as the keening followed him into the waking world. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to sink back down and find that world between worlds once more.</p><p>Sights passed by him as he stared off at nothing. People that might have been Prothean moved about the room, but they seemed little more than shadows. He ignored them as the keening slowly faded to silence. The turian didn’t know how long he laid there like that. It could have been hours or even days. He honestly didn’t care as he focused on breathing.</p><p>Garrus frowned after a few minutes when he felt something silken in his hand. He brought it to his face and opened his hand. On his palm was a small cluster of those white fuzzy things he had been unable to identify in that dream world. There were seeds on the ends of them, he realized and he sat up quickly in shock.</p><p>“Real…” his voice was rough as he murmured the realization. “I have to go…. Right now.”</p><p>“Not so fast, boy. You’ll end up on your face.” Natearus swam into his vision then and he realized he was dizzy.</p><p>Protheans. It clicked then. His team had been taken by a group of Protheans. He frowned at the asari squatting before him. “Where’s my team?”</p><p>“Safe. They've gone with our ‘new friends’ here to collect repair materials for the Normandy.” Natearus answered quietly and glanced back toward Javik.</p><p>“What about the shield?” Simple questions, that was all he could muster at the moment.</p><p>“A launch window will be opened as soon as your ship is spaceworthy.” an unknown voice answered.</p><p>The turian’s attention snapped to the Prothean on his right. His mandibles drew in toward his face as he scooted off the exam bed and stumbled to his feet. “Where’s my gear?”</p><p>“It will be returned to you before you leave. We do not permit weapons within our cities,” the Prothean answered. He inclined his head a moment later. “I am Zokele, elder guardian of the world the humans name Titan.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>3x a week on the updates seems to be working fairly well for me at the moment. It's allowing the story to develop properly without feeling or sounding rushed.</p><p>yoba blossoms - the large purple turian flower that smells like roses dipped in honey.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Seeking Leverage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shane is looking for any leverage he can use to coerce Miranda into working with him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shane stood at the CIC staring out the forward viewport past his pilot’s position. They’d reached the relay at the edge of the outer system. It was a wreck. Whatever his sister had done had virtually destroyed it. From the reports flooding in all across the galaxy, all of the relays were in a similar state. Some of those reports stated that a few had rachni crawling all over them. They appeared to be conducting repairs.</p>
<p>“Scan the debris field for anything registering this frequency.” Shane said and sent the codes to the pilot’s station. Standing there, in command of a ship, he felt more himself than he had in the last three years.</p>
<p>“I’ve got something.” the pilot called after a few minutes.</p>
<p>“Bring us in close and launch tow lines.” Shane ordered.</p>
<p>“Sir, it’s smaller than a shuttle. We could piece their hull.” the pilot warned in concern.</p>
<p>“Noted. Launch those lines and haul it in quickly.” Shane growled before tapping the implant near his ear to patch into Fury’s comm system. “Doctor Carroll, I need you and Doctor Michel to get down to the shuttle bay ASAP. I want her alive… if possible.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Commander.” came the reply.</p>
<p>“Smith, you have the conn. Set course for the Exodus System as soon as the shuttle bay hatch is sealed.” Shane said and stepped down from his post to head for the med bay. He intended to be there when they brought the clone in.</p>
<p>“Aye, sir.” the pilot answered.</p>
<p>Making his way to the elevator, Shane took it down to the med bay level. There were a number of ways he could handle the clone. Most of them depended on her being alive when they brought her in. He'd had no doubt she’d be near the relay. Those fighters only carried so much fuel, after all.</p>
<p>As he exited the elevator, he took a few steps forward. The whirling caution lights were already strobing as the tow lines pulled the fighter through the kinetic barrier. From what he could see at that distance, he was fairly certain the tow lines had hooked into the wings. That meant the hull was intact. The clone was likely still alive. <em> Jane </em> , he reminded himself, <em> pity she was so determined to twist my plans out of focus. Maybe Miranda can make some use of her once we pick them up. Her tissue can’t be that far off from the original. Or vice versa </em>.</p>
<p>The second the fighter scrapped past the kinetic barrier, the shuttle hatch sealed. He heard the distinctive whine of the eezo core just before they jumped to FTL past the relay. <em> Fourteen days and roughly two hops a week and we’ll be in orbit around Eden Prime </em>. Give or take a day or two, he thought with a smile as he headed to the door on his right. It was tucked into a small cubby beside the personnel lockers and led to the med bay. They’d be bringing Jane in there very soon. He planned to be there. Some would say he meant to gloat.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Jane was absolutely certain she was going to die. She was out of fuel and the relay had proven to be a total wreck. It looked like some sort of bomb had gone off within the eezo chamber. She’d drifted there for days wondering if she should just open the hatch and let the void take her. Surely it would be quicker than starving to death. Eventually her air would have run out. Life support was dependent on the tiny vessel’s fuel supply as well. There was just enough to power it and provide her with breathable air. It wasn’t going to last.</p>
<p>When the Alliance frigate came into view she laughed faintly at the luck. She didn’t even have enough power to make the lights blink. Apparently they saw her anyway. It wasn’t long before they came in close and launched a pair of towing cables at her. They hooked into the fighter’s wings with a solid thump and the clang of metal. She was nodding off into an oxygen deprived sleep when they began to tow her in.</p>
<p>Jane was barely conscious when the fighter ground across the floor of their shuttle bay. She hardly noticed when someone blew the hatch and two pairs of hands hauled her out. They were gentle about it as they carried her to medical. She was beginning to come around when they sat her down on the edge of an exam bed.</p>
<p>The first thing she saw, that came into sharp focus, were his boots. The left one scuffed along the toe and outside as if it had been pressed against something red hot. The right had a dimple right over his toes. She frowned in recognition, but couldn’t place them until she glanced up at his face.</p>
<p>“Fuck! It had to be you, didn’t?” Jane snarled the second she recognized Shane.</p>
<p>“Now is that any way to greet your brother, Jane?” he purred and crossed his arms, a smug look on his face. “Or the man who authorized your rescue from the void?”</p>
<p>“What do you want from me?” Jane asked, her voice loaded with venom.</p>
<p>“First… to let you take a shower. You <em>reek</em>, Jane.” Shane waved a hand in front of his face. “The rest can come later… but know that there <em>will</em> be a later.”</p>
<p>“You try living in a tiny little compartment for 8 days with nothing but a little water and a few ration bars. See how pleasant you smell.” Jane growled at him. A shower would be a blessing, but she wasn’t looking forward to whatever he had planned for later.</p>
<p>“Chloe, once our… <em>guest</em> has been looked over, would you mind showing her the facilities.” Shane purred, the picture of perfect sanity.</p>
<p>Jane stared at him as if he had somehow sprouted a third eye. This Shane had rarely shown himself during their stay on the station. He was rarely this calm or rational. The last time she’d seen him like this, he had Shepard on a slab in the lab with the Lawson woman hovering over her keeping her alive.</p>
<p>Finally, she frowned at him as she tried to pick him apart. “Alright, what gives? You’re never this… sane.”</p>
<p>“If you must know, I’m finally getting back to where I’m supposed to be. My life is turning around. You and our dear sister are gonna help me set it all straight… once and for all.” with that, he signalled Chloe and turned to step out of the room.</p>
<p>“Let’s check you over… just to make sure you’re ok.” Chloe said as she came into view.</p>
<p>“I’m really not comfortable with you being within five feet of me.” Jane growled as she glared after Shane.</p>
<p>“Alright. Dr. Carroll can take a look at you then.” Chloe ducked her head for a moment. “I know you don’t trust me. I can’t really blame you, but I’ll show you where you can shower anyway.”</p>
<p>“What’s up with him?” Jane couldn’t help herself. She had a burning need to know exactly what had triggered his sudden change.</p>
<p>“He’s got his command and rank back.” Chloe answered quietly.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shane left the med bay secure in the knowledge that the clone was well enough to survive her ordeal. He had no doubt that it had been an ordeal, but if he were being honest with himself, he really didn’t care. <em> Spare parts, that’s what she is. Lawson will figure out a way to make that work. </em> </p>
<p>Leaning against the wall in the elevator, he thought how best to deal with Lawson when they finally acquired her again. She wasn’t going to trust him, he knew that as sure as the elevator would arrive on the next floor. <em> But there are ways to coerce her. Everyone has a price… even Miranda Lawson. I just have to find out what it is. </em></p>
<p>When the elevator opened on the CIC, he made his way back to his station. From the streamers of stars flying by, he knew they were in the midst of an FTL hop. It was the first of four such hops. <em> Two weeks… that’s how long I have to dig through her records. I’ll find your weakness Miranda, make no mistake about that </em>.</p>
<p>“Report, Smith.” Shane barked at the pilot as he clashed his hands behind his back.</p>
<p>“All’s well, sir. We’ll be dropping out of FTL momentarily.” Smith reported as he adjusted their course.</p>
<p>“Maintain present course.” Shane said smoothly before glancing over his shoulder and turning to stare at the galaxy map.</p>
<p>After a moment, he stepped down and headed toward the rear of the bridge. His new quarters, or old quarters, if he wanted to be technical, were located just down the stairs. <em>No sense taking the elevator down one level. Captain Marshall can bunk with the rest of the crew now.</em> There was really nowhere else the man could bunk since Shane was reclaiming the captain’s cabin. </p>
<p>Stepping into the room, he sneered at the personal effects still scattered around the room. The man knew two days ago that he’d be coming onboard. He knew Shane was being promoted and given his old commission back. <em>So why didn’t he remove his shit? That </em><em><span class="u">is</span></em> <em>the million credit question, isn’t it? Well… moving day, Captain.</em></p>
<p>Shane grumbled to himself as he gathered up the few belongings and stepped to the door. He simply tossed them out into the hallway and washed his hands of them before stepping back into the room. With nothing else to do, he stepped over to the terminal in the room and took a seat. The first thing he noticed when the holo-monitor flickered into being was a letter in mid composition.</p>
<p>
  <em> My dearest Lydia… blah, blah, blah… deeply love… blah, blah, blah…. </em>
</p>
<p>“Oh <em> please </em>. You’ve got to be kidding me.” Shane grumbled softly and hit the delete key.</p>
<p>The second the terminal was free, he opened his omni-tool and loaded a few codes. The Cerberus logo appeared as he patched into the independent network. A moment later, he was deeply focused on his research into Miranda Lawson’s Cerberus records.</p>
<p>“Well, well, well… Miss Lawson has a sister…” Shane smiled cruelly and folded his hands beneath his chin. “That could prove useful.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. A Higher Calling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus receives some news from the hierarchy he's not prepared for.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>20 - A Higher Calling</p>
<p>The Protheans were efficient, Garrus would certainly give them that. By the time Zokele guided him and the others out of the catacombs and back to the Normandy, there were already teams of techs swarming the ship. Adams was standing just outside the airlock with a smug look on his face, arms crossed.</p>
<p>“Do you see this, Captain?” Adams called and waved a hand at the teams of Protheans. “I thought they were gonna kill us, but they started patching a secondary drive into the ship's systems. Even got us fully connected with the outside again.”</p>
<p>Garrus still couldn’t get used to the crew calling him ‘captain’. That was Shepard’s place, not his… no matter what his rank in the hierarchy. Instead of reminding them of it, however, he simply decided to go with the flow. “Have we made contact with anyone yet? Do they know we’re alive?”</p>
<p>“There is an urgent message on your private terminal from General Corinthus,” EDI interrupted over his private comm.</p>
<p>“Some of them do. Long-range communication is moving slow… through the comm buoys.” Adams answered.</p>
<p>Garrus sighed and patted the man on the shoulder on his way through the airlock. “The report’s gotta wait for a bit. I’ve got a message from the hierarchy… marked urgent.”</p>
<p>“Oh, damn, I hope it’s not bad news,” Adams remarked.</p>
<p>“You and me both.” Garrus rumbled as he headed deeper into the ship. Rushing through to the CIC, he called to the AI before reaching the elevator. “Patch it through to the terminal in the captain’s cab, EDI.”</p>
<p>“Very well, Officer Vakarian,” she said clearly.</p>
<p>Garrus glanced at his omni-tool when it pinged unexpectedly. Opening the message, he read it over a couple of times. He reminded himself to breathe as he looked up at the floor display above the door. Her message confirmed what Shepard said to him in the dreamworld. He knew his mind should be reaching some sort of peace with that knowledge, but it wasn’t. A growing sense of dread was slowly enveloping his senses over what this message from Corinthus might be. <em>Miranda… she’s got Shepard. At least I know she’s safe. Thank the spirits someone who’s not completely insane has found her.</em></p>
<p>As he stepped off the elevator, he realized hadn’t been inside their quarters in weeks. There were too many memories in there. They haunted his sleep if he even attempted to remain in there. Pleasant though they were, they ripped his heart open to bleed all the more for his mate. Until he held her in his arms again, he knew that wouldn’t change.</p>
<p>When the door opened on that alcove just outside their quarters, he closed his eyes and stepped out of the elevator. He’d asked for this. There was no sense patching the message through to another terminal. This would be the most private place he could view it. He still didn’t know if it was a simple message or a vid-call. <em>Guess I’ll find out in a couple of minutes</em>.</p>
<p>Opening his omni-tool, he keyed the door open. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the crew. He simply hadn’t wanted the room disturbed by anyone but himself. If no one else could enter, he could preserve her scent a little longer. He knew that was bordering crazy, but he was grieving and a little crazy was perfectly acceptable during such a time.</p>
<p>Garrus hesitated before stepping over the threshold. The scent of the two of them intermingled wafted over him like a soothing balm then. <em>I should come in here more often… even if I don’t sleep here anymore. I </em><em><span class="u">need</span></em> <em>this</em>. He simply stood there for a moment, breathing the room deeply into his lungs. Her scent here smelled exactly as it had in that other world, clean, floral, and earthen in a way uniquely hers. He longed to capture even a moment with her, but she wasn’t here and he had a message to view.</p>
<p>Making his way through the short hall and into her office nook, he pulled the chair around to face the terminal. After a couple dozen heartbeats of just staring at it, he finally settled himself into the chair. The terminal came on at a touch and, as EDI had promised, there was a message waiting. Touching the key, he hadn’t expected to be presented with a live vid-call.</p>
<p>General Corinthus’ face resolved itself on the screen through an array of static and interference. “Thank the spirits you’re <em>alive</em>, Vakarian.”</p>
<p>“Almost met my end a couple times out here. The war <em>is</em> over… isn’t it?” Garrus felt the need to confirm that bit of news.</p>
<p>“It is. But we’ve suffered… a tremendous loss.” Corinthus closed his eyes and shook his head sadly before looking down at his hands. “Primarch Victus is dead… A Reaper beam… <em>melted</em> him… where he stood. I and two others were the sole survivors of our unit.”</p>
<p>Garrus swallowed the dread that was building in his throat before he spoke again. “He was a good man.”</p>
<p>“There’s more, sir. The remaining praetors… well, they’re gone. Most are confirmed dead. You and one other were MIA or presumed dead until this morning.” Corinthus said and made eye contact with him then. “The missing man was found dead a few hours ago. We were barely able to identify him.”</p>
<p>“<em>Uh… dammit</em>…” Garrus all but moaned. He knew what was coming. His father had tried to prepare him for just such an event years ago.</p>
<p>“You’re the new Primarch, sir,” Corinthus blurted before Garrus was able to regain his mental equilibrium.</p>
<p>“Choose someone else,” Garrus insisted sharply, giving a single shake of his head.</p>
<p>“There <em>is</em> no one else, sir. The lines of succession are clear.” Corinthus stated.</p>
<p>“My father… my sister…” Garrus flailed around mentally looking for an out.</p>
<p>“MIA, sir… both of them. And even if they weren’t, they both advocated years ago.” Corinthus said calmly and before Garrus could let loose a keen regarding his missing family, he continued. “We do have a lead on their whereabouts, sir. They were last seen with Spectre Kryik. If it was possible in any way, I’m certain he’s kept them safe. It’s just a matter of finding them.”</p>
<p>“What’s required of me?” Garrus asked in a resigned tone.</p>
<p>“We need you in the Sol System. Our fleet is stranded around Earth. The other races are doing everything they can to help them with repairs and supplies, but…” the turian shook his head.</p>
<p>“I can do that.” Garrus nodded. He felt as if a weight he’d only begun to feel, had just lifted off his shoulders. “What about Palaven?”</p>
<p>“Burning, but there are a few units that remained in the home system. They’ve returned to our world and begun recovery efforts,” Corinthus said firmly.</p>
<p>“Alright… continue the recovery efforts. Coordinate with… well… whoever’s left to ship emergency supplies to the Sol System.” Garrus was nodding as he worked through several ideas.</p>
<p>“The relays are gone… or down, at least.” Corinthus grumbled.</p>
<p>“Short burst FTL. The Apen Cluster isn’t far from the Sol System.” Garrus reminded the other turian.</p>
<p>“Yes, sir. We have a couple of frigates that can handle that kind of run. I’ll notify their captains and begin gathering supplies.” Corinthus said after a moment.</p>
<p>“Good. I’m heading to Earth to coordinate with what’s left of the Council,” Garrus said firmly, a plan already forming even in this small personal crisis. The next he murmured low enough that he doubted Corinthus heard it. “If I’m damn lucky, I’ll find Shepard too.”</p>
<p>“May the spirits watch over you, Primarch Vakarian. Corinthus out.”</p>
<p>Garrus sighed and ran a hand over his plated brow as he sat there with one arm draped over the armrest. “<em>Dammit…</em>”</p>
<p>Looking through the model case and Shepard’s horde of ship models, he wondered if he might catch a couple of hours of sleep before the Prothean teams finished their repairs. He seriously doubted it and got to his feet with a grunt. Hesitating for only a moment, he headed down the stairs and pulled open the hidden wardrobe. Digging in the back lower storage, he found the case he sought and pulled it out.</p>
<p>“It’s been awhile,” he rumbled as he hauled the case up onto the foot of the bed and opened it. Inside was a set of armor that matched the color of his clan markings. In design, it resembled the armor Kryik favored, but not color.</p>
<p>Sighing heavily, he stripped off the armor he favored for the suit in the case. It was only fitting that he wear something befitting a Primarch if he must assume the role. He might no longer need armor suited for combat after today.</p>
<p>“Not sure how I feel about that…” Garrus muttered darkly.</p>
<p>Once he was sealed up in the armor, he left their quarters. He took the elevator down to the shuttle bay and stepped out determinedly the second it opened. The Protheans had a good many of the deck plates ripped up as they finished the repairs of the lower hull. Javik was among them. The male looked up and nodded the moment he saw him. The others climbed out of the recessed compartment seconds later, clearly finished.</p>
<p>“Damn, Scars… What’s the occasion?” Jimmy asked from his cubby to the right of the middle of the bay.</p>
<p>“It seems….” Garrus stopped, searching for the right way to say it. He realized there was no right or wrong way and so he just blurted it out. “I’m… now the Primarch of Palaven.”</p>
<p>Jimmy laughed for a couple heartbeats and then sobered when the turian’s expression didn’t change. “Wait… you’re shittin’ me… aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“I wish I was.” Garrus sighed.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to do with that, bro. Do I offer congratulations or condolences? I mean… somebody died to get you there, no?” Jimmy finally said.</p>
<p>“Yeah… a few. Don’t congratulate me yet, Jimmy. I haven’t done anything to deserve it.” Garrus grumbled and then nodded toward the departing Protheans. “Are they finished?”</p>
<p>“Yeah… said we’ll be able to launch at sunrise,” Jimmy confirmed.</p>
<p>“Then I suggest you get some rest. We’re all going to need it.” Garrus said quietly and stepped back into the elevator.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Playing Along</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Miranda is less than happy to discover Dr. Chloe Michel in the Fury's medbay.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the Fury touched down, Miranda released a sigh of relief. A few short years ago, she would have hidden at the sight of an Alliance ship. <em>Funny how much difference a couple of years can make</em>, she thought as Dr. Hale helped her push the stasis tube up the cargo ramp.</p>
<p>The ship was smaller than she’d expected. She thought it might be roughly the same size as the Normandy SR-1 had been. Being a purely Alliance ship and human built, she knew the CIC wouldn’t be the same configuration. There would be no AI for a certainty, but there might be a VI built into the ship’s computer.</p>
<p>Miranda was met in the cargo bay by the ship’s doctor moments after the ramp pulled up. Hale opted to remain aboard to assist in Shepard’s care. He and another Alliance man took over moving the stasis tube to the medbay as she followed along. She had barely begun to settle into one side of medical when Chloe walked in. The redhead smiled indifferently at her as she stopped before the stasis tube.</p>
<p>“How’s our patient?” Chloe asked simply.</p>
<p>“What are <em>you</em> doing here?” Miranda snarled, her fists doubled at her sides ready to grasp her biotics.</p>
<p>“The same as you, escorting our esteemed Commander Shepard to Earth.” Chloe said casually.</p>
<p>“Our goals are the same, Miss Lawson.” came a voice she’d hoped to never hear again.</p>
<p>Miranda turned to glare at him with a look of death on her face. She started to raise a biotically glowing fist and felt cold metal snap around her wrist. An instant later her grasp of the dark energy that governed the flow of power slipped away.</p>
<p>“I should have killed you both when I had the chance!” Miranda snarled, glancing between Chloe and Shane.</p>
<p>“But you didn’t. Deep down, you know you need us. My <em>sister</em> needs us… <em>all</em> of us.” Shane purred as he stepped forward to look at the woman gently floating in a device similar in design to the krogan growth tubes.</p>
<p>“Commander Sloane, I’ve got an incoming message from Earth.” Smith said across the comm.</p>
<p>“Patch it through to my quarters, Smith.” Shane said and glanced back at Miranda. “Continue monitoring her vitals, Miss Lawson. I like to keep her alive.”</p>
<p>“Since when is your name ‘Sloane’? You’re her twin. You’re a Shepard!” Miranda snapped before he could walk away.</p>
<p>“Shepard is the name our step-father hung on us when he married our mother. They both died a year later… gang related violence.” Shane purred with a greasy smile before turning on his heel and walking out.</p>
<p>Miranda glared after him, the new information churning in her mind like whirlpool. She knew both he and the commander had been involved with the Reds before Natearus and Captain Anderson dragged them off the streets. That was all common knowledge thanks to the media.</p>
<p>“Dammit…” Miranda grumbled and rubbed at the metal ring around her right wrist.</p>
<p>“I am sorry about that, Miss Lawson. You understand. We can’t have you blowing a hole in the hull while trying to kill our captain.” Chloe said calmly.</p>
<p>“You realize this is kidnapping, don’t you?” Miranda snapped at her then.</p>
<p>“No, it isn’t. We’ve taken you into custody, per orders. You’ll be given free run of the common areas of the ship… provided you continue looking after Commander Shepard.” Chloe said with a nod toward the stasis tube.</p>
<p>Miranda growled under her breath and said down in the office chair near the stasis tube. She crossed both her arms and legs, completely closing the woman off at that point. “Fine! Inform Dr. Hale that I require his assistance.”</p>
<p>Chloe barely nodded before leaving the medbay. Miranda looked up at the woman floating in the amber colored bath of medi-gel then. Her right arm was crossed over her chest and effectively hiding her breasts, the hand cupped around her left shoulder. There was a mechanical assist armature attached to the arm and hand. The hand itself was connected to her chest by a thin bridge of blood vessels providing added blood flow to assist the regrowth of tissue. Her legs were bent just enough that her groin was hidden by her thighs and growing belly. The right leg, just above the knee had a turian designed prosthetic in place. She’d managed to save the other.</p>
<p>Miranda was lost in compilation of her work when Hale stumbled into the room. She glanced up at him just as he glared back at whoever had shoved him in the door. Getting to her feet, she rushed over to him.</p>
<p>“I need your help, Jordan.” she blurted quietly.</p>
<p>“Clearly we’re prisoners…” the man grumbled as he looked back at her.</p>
<p>“That’s why I need you to help me configure the genetic locks on the stasis tube.” Miranda said, guiding him toward it.</p>
<p>“But… if we do that, we can’t get in to help her… should something go wrong.” Hale said slowly. “Are you sure you wanna risk that?”</p>
<p>“I don’t see another choice. Do you? The commander’s twin will force me to terminate her pregnancy. If I don’t do it, he’ll likely kill me and find someone else who will.” Miranda said quietly.</p>
<p>“But… why? The pregnancy… and the father… are his sister’s choice, not his.” Hale growled as he glanced up at the woman within the stasis tube.</p>
<p>“The father is turian… and Shane hates aliens… all of them.” Miranda shook her head. “I don’t know why, but he hates turians more than any others. I’ve crossed her mate once, I don’t intend to do it again.”</p>
<p>“So you know him…” Hale locked eyes with her then and tilted his head to the side.</p>
<p>“I do. I served with him briefly. We… didn’t see eye to eye, but in this….” she shook her head and glanced at Shepard’s form. “I won’t murder his children.”</p>
<p>“Alright… let’s set the locks. The samples are loaded in the sequencing chambers.” Hale paused and put a hand on her shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes. “We do this and the lock won’t open for anyone that isn’t genetically coded to it. If she’s in medical trouble, we won’t be able to release her to treat her.”</p>
<p>“We can treat most of the problems that could crop up with the instruments in the tank.” Miranda said firmly and stepped around to the controls. “There’s not much these tanks can’t handle.”</p>
<p>Hale nodded before releasing the locks on the sequencing chambers. Miranda waited for his nod before she began setting a lock for certain members of the Normandy’s original crew. She set one for Liara. The asari, she knew, would do anything in her power to see Shepard safe. The next she set for Wrex. The krogan viewed the commander as a sister. There was no way he would allow harm to come to her… ever. The last she set for Garrus. She knew the turian would find a way to destroy the tank if he couldn’t release her through mechanical means. That was his mate in there, after all. Fortunately the locks only required one of those three people to touch the panel beside the console.</p>
<p>“It’s done.” Miranda said with a relieved sigh as she leaned on the base of the stasis tube.</p>
<p>“For good or ill. Let’s hope she doesn’t reach some sort of crisis point before we find one of her crew.” Hale breathed out in a rush.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Jane was pushed through the med bay door and sealed in before she could turn and punch her guards. Her eyes landed on Shepard’s stasis tube an instant later and she gasped. She glanced rapidly between Miranda and the man she’d never seen before and held up her hands.</p>
<p>“Look, I don’t want any trouble. I don’t know what that bastard said to you, but…” Jane stammered and looked to Miranda then. “I’m the same person that got you through station security.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright, Jane. I remember you. As I recall, your tissue isn’t compatible with Shepard’s anyway. You’re safe enough.” Miranda reassured her.</p>
<p>Jane let out a relieved breath and lowered her hands. “He another prisoner?”</p>
<p>“I’m Dr. Jordan Hale…” the man said as he looked her up and down. “You must be the clone Miri mentioned.”</p>
<p>“Well… if you have to put it that way, I guess I am.” she looked to her mirror image floating in the soup of medi-gel then. “She gonna live?”</p>
<p>“Barring any catastrophic incidents… I’d say she is.” Miranda answered and narrowed her eyes at the clone when she crossed the room to the stasis tube. “What…”</p>
<p>“You didn’t finalize the genetic locks. The lock lights were blinking red. They should be a steady blue.” Jane said as her hands danced over the keys on the console. “Done. Now no one can open this thing without matching the gene profiles you loaded.”</p>
<p>Miranda glared at her and crossed her arms. “How did you know to do that?”</p>
<p>“I read. There wasn’t much to do on the station for a long time.” Jane said quietly before waving a hand toward the door. “And then <em>they</em> showed up… with you and her in tow… to turn the place upside down.”</p>
<p>“I assure you, I had no intention of setting foot on that station again.” Miranda sounded like an angry hornet.</p>
<p>“Miri… you know this has to be hard for her. She knows what she is and she knows she might never have a real life because of it. Cut her some slack.” Hale said softly, putting a hand on the former Cerberus woman’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Fine… How do you propose we get out of this mess? Either of you?” Miranda crossed her arms and cocked a hip in irritation.</p>
<p>“This is an Alliance ship… and we’re heading to Earth, right?” Jane asked thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“It is,” Hale answered.</p>
<p>“We’re hitching a ride whether we want to or not. I’d say, let’s see where it goes. They’ll want her alive, after all. She’s the hero that saved the galaxy from the Reapers. I’m willing to bet there are more crewmen here loyal to her than Shane. We can use that.”</p>
<p>Miranda’s expression softened a fraction at the idea and she nodded. “You may not be Shepard, but you have similar reasoning skills.”</p>
<p>“She is cut from the same DNA, Miri. She’s still a Shepard.” Hale said.</p>
<p>“So we play along… and with the genetic locks in place, Shane can’t get his hands on Shepard. He couldn’t have her pregnancy terminated even if he wanted to.” Jane said and glanced back at the stasis tube, “That is… provided you coded those locks to people she’d trust.”</p>
<p>“We did,” Hale said before Miranda could respond.</p>
<p>“Good. Then we sit on our hands and wait.” Jane said and took a seat on the edge of one of the exam beds.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. A Primarch’s Privilege</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus is faced with the very real power and privilege that goes with the office of the Primarch.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus Vakarian sat staring out the viewport as he idly toyed with the data storage tag attached to the fine chain around his neck. He replayed the last couple of weeks over in his mind as he sat there. There were a lot of moments along the way when he’d wondered if they were really going to make it to Earth. Moments of near starvation and many more where he’d questioned his sanity as well as his ability to command. The memories came unbidden and he closed his eyes.</p>
<p>“<em>I can’t take command.” he’d grumbled at the crew around the conference table. He’d called the meeting the second the Normandy passed through the launch window the Protheans had promised.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Well, I’m not takin’ it. I can’t… Commanding a unit is one thing. Takin’ charge of a whole ship… Nah, bro, I ain’t ready for that.” James shook his head in protest and stepped away from the table.</em></p>
<p>“<em>No one else here is qualified to command, Garrus,” Liara said softly.</em></p>
<p>Garrus had tried one more time to shrug off the yoke of leadership only to have it tighten around his throat like a noose. Ultimately, it was Shepard’s last orders before they rushed off toward that beam that undid him. She’d attached a contingency to his file.</p>
<p>“<em>EDI, did Shepard leave us a contingency plan? You know… in case she didn’t make it back to the ship?” Joker asked the AI. It was clear from the look on the man’s face that he was incredibly relieved to have the synthetic woman back.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Crew files were labeled as priority downloads and therefore saved within my external memory core. There are a number of attachments to key personnel files. Would you like me to access each of them?” EDI explained as she tapped a few keys on the console at the end of the table.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Access command level crew with any special instructions noted,” Joker said with a shrug.</em></p>
<p>“<em>I have found the file.” EDI’s voice held a note of finality. “Due to Officer Vakarian’s rank within the turian hierarchy, Commander Shepard attached several notes to his file.”</em></p>
<p>Garrus opened his eyes and stared at the data storage tag for a moment allowing the memory to roll over him. He knew the moment the AI had begun playing the log back that his position was already locked in, the rest had come quickly enough. It had taken him some time to digest Shepard’s orders. He realized he should have known she would make him her second. The turian knew, from his experience in command situations, he was the best qualified for the job. It hadn’t made it any easier when he stood at her post.</p>
<p>Tapping the tag with a talon, he thought of his current position. Primarch, he didn't want the title. He never had. Victus was dead, it had been confirmed by Corinthus days ago. The man had been vaporized by a Reaper blast on earth. The responsibility was his now that the other praetors had been confirmed dead as well. He didn't want it. <em>The Primarch should be someone who knows how to hold a hammer, not a sniper rifle</em>, he grumbled internally. <em>Someone who knows what to do with shades of gray… I’m still learning that lesson</em>.</p>
<p>Another thought rolled across the curtain of stars painted before him. He allowed it, participating mentally for a moment.</p>
<p>
  <em>Garrus sat in the mess hall with Tali and Lilfrey when Joker reported they’d finally broken free of their thirteen hour Mars orbit. It had taken longer than expected to sling the Normandy back into space and head for Earth. He sat there now staring at the last tiny square of dextro chocolate Tali had been holding onto.</em>
</p>
<p>‘<em>Split three ways, we might each get a taste. It might even be just enough to keep us alive a little longer. Maybe long enough to reach Earth. But… what then? Earth is a levo planet. It may not yield any dextro food sources.’ Those were the thoughts racing through his mind as he stared at that tiny square.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>With a sigh of resignation, Garrus nodded to himself. ‘Only one real choice here…’ Finally he spoke. “Split it between you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The women both protested at that suggestion. Tali shook her head. Lilfrey leaned forward with a warning growl. He attempted to ignore them both.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>You must eat something, Primarch,” Lilfrey growled at him. “You’ll take my share.”</em></p>
<p>“<em>I won’t take any of it until you’ve eaten your share, Garrus,” Tali grumbled and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair.</em></p>
<p>Garrus still wasn’t sure how Lilfrey had uncovered the details of his newest ‘promotion’. Closing his eyes and leaning back a little, he found he really didn’t care. Hunger had been a constant companion over the last couple of weeks as their supplies dwindled to nothing. The rest of the crew was far better off than they were. The Protheans had provided them a veritable bounty of food sources. Titan was rich in levo resources. They ate while the dextro crew continued to drop weight. It was a mercy that they waited until the dextro crew were bunked down before they did so.</p>
<p>“<em>Fine…” Garrus had finally sighed and leaned forward toward the tiny square of chocolate. He took up the knife intended to cut the chocolate and nipped off a small corner before cutting the rest in half.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Before the others could protest further, he snatched up the crumb and popped it into his mouth. The other two pieces he separated and shoved at them. He knew he’d shorted himself, but as the new ruler of his world, he needed to lead by example… even if those he was currently leading were not all turians.</em>
</p>
<p><em>And then Joker received the transmission from Earth… </em>the thought was almost bitter. Hackett himself had given them the run-around. The man had directed them to Earth One in a near lunar orbit. It was an ancient station the Alliance had refit for galactic traffic. He understood the reasoning. Earth’s atmosphere was damaged. It needed time to heal from the Reaper attacks. All of their worlds would be in similar states.</p>
<p>With a heavy sigh, he allowed the tag to drop into the safety of his cowl as he got to his feet. The Normandy was only a few hours out from the space station. There had been no word of Shepard. Still, Garrus held onto the last flickering vestiges of hope he could muster. He had to believe the vision and what she’d told him, it was all he had left.</p>
<p>Taking one last look out the port lounge viewport, the turian headed for the elevator. He needed to take his post at the galaxy map in the CIC. As much as he didn’t want to, he needed to be there when the Normandy docked with Earth One.</p>
<p>“Preparing to dock with Earth One. Hold onto your butts, guys. This could be a bumpy ride.” Joker cut across the comm just as he topped the steps up to the railing.</p>
<p>The jolt of the docking clamps catching their airlock was much harder than any the Citadel would have offered. He clung to the railing in an effort to remain upright. Many of the crew struggled as well, holding onto the consoles around the galaxy map or the chairs around the outer rim.</p>
<p>There was no great ceremony or banquet when they disembarked from the ship. Apparently, Hackett had taken up an office aboard the station. The crew was ushered into that office one by one for debriefings. Under normal circumstances, Garrus would have been swept into the office the Primarch would have taken, given he’d still been on Earth. Instead, he found himself staring down Hackett when his turn came.</p>
<p>His debriefing was held until last. He thought maybe somebody knew something about Shepard. After all, his was the loudest of the crew's voices in demanding some news of her. He yelled for results, taking a cue from Shepard in that. Someone was bound to give him some kind of information. If not, he would just keep yelling. With the Primarch's office behind him, he could throw around a little more authority if necessary.</p>
<p>When he was finally called into Hackett's office, he stepped in and froze for a moment. The office reminded him of the Illusive Man's base, the sheen of the glass-like floor, so like the one Kai Leng had shattered. He found it a bit unnerving, to say the least.</p>
<p>“I hear you're next in the line of succession for Primarch, congratulations...” Hackett began and motioned toward a chair opposite his desk.</p>
<p>“It’s a bit more than that, actually,” Garrus said blandly. After a moment of silence, he felt the need to fill it with something. “Any news about Shepard?”</p>
<p>“I'm afraid that's privileged information; <em>classified</em>... You understand, uh...Primarch...Vakarian.” Hackett stumbled over the title.</p>
<p>“Classified… huh. You know... that’s just a polite way... of telling me to… fuck off.” Garrus was beginning to fume and it was coloring his vocabulary. He found, after the hell he’d been through, that he had little to no patience for bureaucratic bullshit.</p>
<p>“Look, it's a matter of Alliance security. I can't tell you more. I'm sorry.” Hackett stated coolly.</p>
<p>“I'm entitled to that information, Admiral,” Garrus grumbled.</p>
<p>“Your new title means very little in terms of the Alliance, Primarch. I'm afraid I just can't give you any information regarding the status of Commander Shepard.” Hackett dodged around the subject once more.</p>
<p>Garrus growled faintly, his sub-harmonics vibrating with menace. “I'm not asking in an <em>official</em> capacity, Admiral. This is a <em>personal </em>request. Where's Shepard?”</p>
<p>“You must understand, Vakarian. I can't release that information... Not even to you.” Hackett hedged.</p>
<p>As he pulled the data tag out of his cowl, he leaned forward. The fine chain released with a sharp tug and he held it out to the admiral. His eyes flashed dangerously at the human before him.</p>
<p>“What's this?” Hackett asked irritably as he gingerly took the tag.</p>
<p>“Scan it,” Garrus said coldly.</p>
<p>Hackett scanned the tag with his omni-tool and sighed. “Is this official? When was it filed?”</p>
<p>“It's official. We filed it during our last shore leave. You know... when her clone attempted to <em>steal</em> the Normandy. It was all in our report. All but <em>that</em>,” Garrus answered, pointing at the tag.</p>
<p>“I had no idea, Vakarian, but I'm still not at liberty to give you the information you're requesting,” Hackett said softly.</p>
<p>“That document says otherwise, Admiral. According to Council law, you <em>can't</em> keep this kind of information from me.” Garrus pointed at the tag Hackett still held.</p>
<p>“I can until this is proven authentic,” Hackett snapped, tossing the tag across the desk.</p>
<p>Garrus had had enough. He stood, planting his knuckles on the desk, and leaned in. His mandibles were dropped and flared in boiling rage as he leveled his face with the human. “<em>Where. Is. My. Mate!</em>”</p>
<p>“You need to leave, Vakarian. I won't ask again,” Hackett snarled.</p>
<p>“You'd cause an interspecies incident over this? I want answers, Admiral.” Garrus didn’t care that his shout could be heard outside the office. He was tired and virtually starving. This man knew something and he intended to have the information even if he had to tear the man apart with his bare hands.</p>
<p>“Out, before I call security...” Hackett stood and pointed toward the door.</p>
<p>Garrus chuckled bitterly. He knew the security network the Alliance had employed was C-Sec. “Go ahead, Hackett. C-Sec won't touch the Primarch... and I'm not leaving until you tell me where Shepard is.”</p>
<p>“It won’t be C-Sec that comes to haul your scaly ass out of my office,” Hackett said coldly.</p>
<p>“I'll find out where she is... sooner or later.” With that Garrus left, slamming the ancient door behind him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Incriminating Evidence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anderson has words with Hackett before meeting with a 'dead' Spectre.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anderson shifted in his wheelchair slightly and glared at Hackett. He thought very carefully about how he wanted to phrase his argument before he started in on the man across from him. “You can’t seriously believe Shane is a changed man. A few altered papers and a new name don’t change a man’s character.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think you’re giving the man enough credit. You’d be surprised what recovering a wrongfully taken post can do for a soldier,” Hackett said quietly, not making eye contact.</p>
<p>“Shane Alexander Shepard is a <em>murder!</em>” Anderson snarled.</p>
<p>Hackett cut him off. “So is <em>Commander</em> Shepard… and yet… we label her a war hero. Where’s the difference, Anderson? <em>Sloane is</em> a changed man.”</p>
<p>“<em>Sloane</em>, if that’s what he’s calling himself now, <em>ruthlessly</em> chased those batarians down and slaughtered <em>every last one of them</em> -- even the ones who surrendered. He effectively ended the career of a promising officer by getting more than half his unit killed in that bloodbath. That title they gave him? The Butcher of Torfan? He <em>earned</em> that -- it’s <em>not</em> meant to be an <em>honorary</em> title.” Anderson snapped, emphasizing one of Sloane’s heinous deeds.</p>
<p>“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?” Hackett grumbled.</p>
<p>“No, I don’t. As a matter of fact, I think I could go one step further in this evaluation. He did that while he still carried the <em>Shepard</em> name. <em>Sloane</em> is the reason Udina hated the Shepard name. He’s the reason the Council <em>ignored</em> the commander’s warnings about the Reapers.” Anderson pointed out harshly.</p>
<p>“Whatever you might think, Anderson, he’s a damn fine soldier. He’s already been given his command… and rank back -- under his birth name, of course.” Hackett said, running a hand over his brow in frustration. “I’ve sent him out searching for Miranda Lawson. If there’s any hope of recovering Shepard…. She’s it.”</p>
<p>“You’re a damned idiot.” Anderson shook his head at that. “I hope, for Shepard’s sake, that brother of hers doesn’t trip off the deep end out there. He’s not stable.”</p>
<p>“No one is after <em>this</em> war,” Hackett murmured and turned to his console. “If you’ll excuse me, Councilor… I have some urgent business to attend.”</p>
<p>Anderson didn’t even give the man the courtesy of flipping him off. He simply wheeled himself around and headed toward the door. Before he pushed the antique door open, he glared back at the man. “The Council wants answers… <em>soon</em>. Shepard needs to be found -- dead or alive…. So we can bring closure to this whole thing.”</p>
<p>“They’ll have it… when the Alliance is sure of her status. Good day, Councilor.” Hackett nodded, a clear dismissal.</p>
<p>Anderson wheeled himself out that door with a sour look on his face. He knew there was more going on than Hackett was admitting. The man had his hands in some underhanded dabbling unless he missed his guess. He’d caught a glimpse of it when Hackett had Shepard arrested after Aratoht. It had taken some digging, but he’d finally discovered that the admiral was responsible for that whole business.</p>
<p>Irritated, Anderson made his way down the hall toward his own office. His omni-tool had pinged once while he’d been with Hackett. He had a Spectre to see to. It was a surprise that the turian had actually made his way up to Earth One. He hoped that meant good news. There was little enough of that lately. So many being reported missing or dead tended to put a damper on the greatest victory the galaxy had ever known.</p>
<p>“Allow me to assist,” came a distinctive dual-toned voice from behind just before a pair of three-fingered hands gripped the handles of his wheelchair.</p>
<p>“I thought you were waiting in my office,” Anderson said, glancing back at the dark red plated turian with the stark white markings. He noted the steel plate encasing the left side of his skull and surrounding the cybernetic eye.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“I hadn’t quite made it that far. Some information recently came into my possession -- I believe you’ll be interested in hearing it.” Nihlus said quietly as he wheeled the Councilor into the office at the far end of the hall.</p>
<p>“Is that so?” Anderson asked with interest.</p>
<p>“Not here, not until I’ve secured the room,” the turian said as he released the wheelchair and closed the door.</p>
<p>Opening his omni-tool, Nihlus ran a series of sweeps. The sizzling pops around the room signified the bugs shorting out. He glanced up at Anderson when the man grumbled.</p>
<p>“I’ll be damned.” Anderson wheeled himself around behind his desk before opening his terminal. “Who bugged the room? Any ideas?”</p>
<p>“A few. None of them you’ll like.” Nihlus stated as he tapped a few more keys on his omni-tool.</p>
<p>“Try me,” Anderson growled, folding his hands on the desk beside the terminal.</p>
<p>“The admiral,” Nihlus said simply.</p>
<p>“You’re sure?” Anderson asked, but there was none of the shock on the human’s face he had expected to see.</p>
<p>Nihlus nodded and pulled up the audio file he’d captured earlier. Anderson’s face progressed from neutral to outraged in a matter of minutes. This he’d expected from the human.</p>
<p>“What’s that bastard playing at?” Anderson demanded of no one in particular.</p>
<p>“I can offer an educated guess. I believe he wants to manipulate Shepard’s role -- and that of her crew -- in the events leading up to the Reapers’ defeat. <em>If</em> she’s a martyr… she can’t dispute anything he puts forth.” Nihlus explained what he had gleaned from the conversation he had overheard early that morning.</p>
<p>“Damn him.” Anderson snarled and leaned into the desk. “Damn them both. I knew nothing good could come of Shane popping up again.”</p>
<p>“Shepard’s twin seems to be a master of manipulation. Clearly, the admiral is taking lessons.” Nihlus said and pulled up another audio file. “That’s not the half of our problems, however. We must remember… Shepard was pulled from the Crucible <em>alive</em>. There’s another party invested in how this situation plays out.”</p>
<p>When Aria’s voice rolled through the room from the omni-tool, Anderson simply sat there, his fingers interlaced on the desk. The man’s face was stony as he glanced up at the turian on the other side of the desk.</p>
<p>“You’re sure she’s not out for Shepard’s blood? Maybe some kind of sick revenge tactic for something?” Anderson finally asked.</p>
<p>Nihlus shook his head. “She feels she owes Shepard a debt. Aria isn’t known for leaving debts unfulfilled. It seems she intends to see that the commander returns to Earth intact.”</p>
<p>“Let’s hope that’s her intention. Shepard could use the kind of protection the queen bee of Omega can offer.” Anderson agreed thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“Any news regarding Normandy?” Nihlus asked as he closed his omni-tool.</p>
<p>“Nothing yet. We’ve swept the entire system near the rendezvous point and haven’t turned up a thing. It’s like they never made it out there.” Anderson shook his head.</p>
<p>“<em>Maybe</em>… they didn’t. Have there been any sweeps of the Sol System? That wave was traveling fast. It might have hit them before they jumped to FTL.” Nihlus suggested.</p>
<p>Anderson frowned and brought his laced fingers up to his chin, tapping it lightly. “I’ll have to circumvent Hackett’s authority. Order those sweeps myself. You might be onto something.”</p>
<p>“You’re the human Councilor. Getting around that traitor should be easy enough. If not… I’ll simply short out his terminal for a few hours, block his access to the communications buoys,” Nihlus said with an almost evil flare of his mandibles.</p>
<p>“I like your thinking, Spectre Kryik.” Anderson chuckled.</p>
<p>“Please… call me Nih. I doubt the Council will uphold the Spectre status of a ghost…. Isn’t that what your people call a spirit?” he frowned faintly and looked to the human for confirmation.</p>
<p>“Both actually, but you have my support, for what it’s worth.” Anderson nodded and looked toward the door when he caught movement.</p>
<p>Nihlus followed his gaze and offered his hand to the female turian stepping in. She took it and glanced toward Anderson with a nod. Looking back toward the human, he realized the man recognized her markings, but not the girl herself.</p>
<p>“This is Vakarian’s sister,” Nihlus answered the unspoken question before turning his attention back to her. “I asked you to wait with your father.”</p>
<p>“I couldn’t. He’s driving me up the wall. I’ll pull his fringe out if I have to stay in that room with him another minute.” Solana complained before she addressed Anderson personally. “Do you know where my brother is? Have you heard from him? <em>Please</em>… tell me you know something. My father is going insane.”</p>
<p>“We’re doing everything we can to locate the Normandy, Miss Vakarian,” Anderson reassured her.</p>
<p>“But… you don’t know.” It wasn’t a question on her part.</p>
<p>“No, I’m sorry. We don’t know yet, but I’ll be sure you’re the first person I seek out when we have some news.” Anderson said gently.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Solana said and glanced at Nih before turning toward the door. She looked back once before exiting. “I appreciate that more than you know.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Arriving on Earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus is having a busy day between dealing with Hackett and an unexpected encounter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Liara stopped cold at the thunderous look on the turian's face. She wasn’t well versed in turian expressions, but the tight set of his mandibles, the downward drawn brow plates along with the slamming door behind screamed that he was angry. The angry dual-toned shout that was heard all the way down the hall added to that idea. Her eyes followed his movements as he fastened a thin chain around his neck and tucked the tiny disk that dangled from it into a secure place in the cowl of his armor. Her eyes narrowed and she wondered exactly what Hackett had said to warrant the turian pulling that out.</p><p>“I take it the debriefing did not go well?” Liara asked as he drew level with her position.</p><p>“You could say that....” he said tiredly as she fell into step with him.</p><p>“We’ve been cleared for a shuttle to the surface since there are no dextro supplies here on the station,” Liara informed him quietly. “I've arranged a cab to the refugee camp once we land.”</p><p>Garrus nodded. He looked tired but determined as he limped along. The rest of the main crew were standing in a cluster just ahead waiting to be waved through the airlock. They joined them in a few short strides.</p><p>“So, Hackett’s el cabrón. Never gives up info easily, Scars.” Vega said quietly near the turian when they stopped on the outer edges of the milling crew.</p><p>“Maybe if I threatened to rip his throat out with my talons…” Garrus grumbled softly and Vega shook his head with a chuckle.</p><p>“You can threaten him, but he’s a hard-ass, bro. He won’t give,” Vega said.</p><p>When their turn came to board the shuttle, the guards stopped Garrus. Liara thought it odd that there should be anyone here guarding the transport to Earth. She frowned at them and put her hands on her hips as they detained the turian.</p><p>“What’s going on here?” she demanded.</p><p>“The rest of you are cleared for transit.” the guard said with a nod before turning a glare on the turian. “Not him.”</p><p>“But… he’s part of our crew. He’s our acting captain.” Liara protested.</p><p>“Admiral Hackett’s orders. He’s to be detained… indefinitely.” the guard growled.</p><p>“But there aren’t enough dextro rations here.” Liara continued her line of reasoning.</p><p>“Then he starves. Not my problem,” the man snapped.</p><p>“I think not,” came a familiar dual-toned voice from the other end of the hall.</p><p>“Nihlus!” Liara smiled as she recognized the turian.</p><p>“Spectre…” the guard began and Nihlus cut him off.</p><p>“This is <em>Primarch</em> Vakarian. You <em>will</em> allow him to pass. Hackett has no authority over him or any other member of the hierarchy, per Councilor Anderson’s orders,” Nihlus rumbled irritably and opened his omni-tool.</p><p>“Anderson resumed his seat on the Council?” Vega asked, eyes wide in shock.</p><p>“He has. Granted, it’s from a wheelchair, but…” the red plated turian turned his green gaze on Garrus then. “He returned to the surface a few days ago. You’re expected to meet with him, Primarch, barring any unforeseen circumstances.”</p><p>“It’s just Garrus,” the other rumbled humbly at that. A heartbeat later a thought seemed to strike him. “My father and sister…”</p><p>“Are safe and staying with me for the time being. Come, your asari friend has arranged for a cab once we’ve touched down, I believe.” Nihlus motioned them forward. When the young guard continued to bar their way, the older turian growled menacingly. “Don’t make me shoot you, son.”</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus stood there staring at the older male for several long moments. He couldn’t believe he was finally getting small, but highly important pieces of information now. To hear that his father and sister were safe was more than he had hoped for. Those were two very heavy weights lifted from his shoulders as he followed Nihlus on board the shuttle. <em>One to go…</em> it was almost a breathless thought.</p><p>As he took a seat, he stared out the small viewport. Earth transits were quite a bit different than a standard shuttle. He realized he would be able to watch their descent through that port. Earth didn’t look as dark and dismal as it had so many weeks ago when the Reapers were ripping it apart. He suspected none of the worlds they’d attacked did.</p><p>Garrus sat quietly staring out that small window. The shuttle around him was full of chatter. He didn’t care. There were dextro supplies in the refugee camp. As much as he needed to find his mate, he needed a meal before his body finally gave out.</p><p>When the shuttle touched down and he stood, he knew his body’s reserves were finally at an end. He swayed where he stood for several minutes before he was finally able to move forward.</p><p>“You alright, Vakarian?” Nihlus asked at his side with a frown.</p><p>“Haven’t eaten in… I… I honestly... don’t know how many days.” Garrus said quietly.</p><p>“You should have said something up top,” Nihlus grumbled and thrust something into his hands. “Eat that. We can’t have the Primarch blacking out before he reaches the refugee camp.”</p><p>Garrus huffed a faint laugh before he looked down at what the other turian had pushed into his hands. He closed his eyes for a brief moment after reading the label. It wouldn’t have mattered what it was so long as he could eat it at this point. The fact that it was a kantog ration bar drew a sigh of appreciation from him.</p><p>“Thank you.” It was a heartfelt comment as he tore the package open.</p><p>“Any time.” Nihlus nodded and glanced behind him, handing out a couple more ration bars.</p><p>Garrus was careful not to shove it all in his mouth at once. He had no intention of losing even a speck of that bar. His body needed it too badly to waste it. He resisted the urge to take a huge bite and merely nipped off a small chunk as he followed the others out into bright daylight. Even still, the bar was gone too soon, but the maddening hunger he’d been dealing with over the last few days finally faded to the background.</p><p>The second his feet touched the landing pad, his head jerked up at the sharp movement of something large before him. His eyes widened as he stared at the rachni. He could pick out every detail. The Imperfections in its hide told a story of its journey to Earth. This was no ordinary or abnormally large rachni, he realized as he took in the mass of the bowed body. This was the queen herself. She watched him intently.</p><p><em>~Son of Palaven,....we have waited millennia to hear the song of your people once more.~</em> a voice seemed to whisper in his mind.</p><p>A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder near his cowl where he was sure to feel it and he jumped slightly. “It's alright, Scars. I don't think it's gonna eat you.”</p><p>“No, in fact, she seems happy to see you.” Liara put in.</p><p>“I'd rather she didn't stare at me like I'm a glass of ryncol.” Garrus couldn’t keep the tremor out of his sub-harmonics.</p><p>“She’s been here for weeks.” Nihlus offered when he came back to his other side. The turian had only been gone a moment. “Remarkable species. Strong and resilient by nature. She’s been directing her brood workers to the relays while she remains here to assist with cargo.”</p><p>Nihlus encouraged him to move on. Garrus eyed the rachni queen suspiciously as he took a few cautious steps. His path would take him right past her. It was Vega that yelped when the queen lowered her head to peer directly into the turian's eyes. Said turian froze, his breath caught in his lungs.</p><p><em>~You misunderstand. We weave the strings of your song into our harmony. We rejoice. One turian among many remembers the old harmony. Your song is beautiful, but it need not be mournful.~</em> the queen said softly in Liara's voice.</p><p>“That’s… unusual…” was all Nihlus seemed able to say.</p><p>“I.....uh...I don't follow... Are you <em>controlling</em> Liara?” Garrus asked hesitantly even as the others gave them a wide berth.</p><p><em>~We do not control the asari. She volunteers to be our voice. You still must hear with ears to accept.~</em> Liara/rachni queen said.</p><p>“I'm officially freaking out here, Scars.” Vega hissed.</p><p>“I concur…” Nihlus was nodding slowly. </p><p>“You never said you knew the rachni queen <em>personally</em>.” Vega grumbled.</p><p>“I don't....exactly....” Garrus stammered, remembering those moments when he’d encouraged Shepard to do away with the creature.</p><p><em>~But we know you. We know you still fear us. In time, you will understand our harmony better. Now, you must sing to the stars, little turian. What you seek not yet beyond your reach.~</em> Liara put her hand to her brow and swayed for an instant as the rachni queen released her and raised its head toward the sky.</p><p>Garrus caught her before she could fall, “Are alright, Liara?”</p><p>“Yes, but the queen's mind is powerful beyond anything I have experienced. What she says is true. Your prayer, or rather, your <em>song</em> is a part of the rachni's harmony now. They hear you, Garrus....They hear 'the music of your soul'. That would be the best translation.” Liara said as she gripped his forearm for stability. She released it a moment later.</p><p>“Guess we better get to the refugee camp, huh, Scars. Sounds like you got places to be.” Vega nudged him with an elbow to the ribs plates.</p><p>“Yeah....” Garrus barely gave voice to the word as he stepped past the now occupied queen. She had resumed moving cargo.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Shortsightedness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shane's inability to accept the changes his sister's twins represent almost seem contagious.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Fury was just a few days from docking with Earth One by the time Shane decided to do something about his sister. He’d allowed Miranda free reign in her treatment, but that time was over now. Hackett had sent him some rather disturbing information the moment they were within comm range. It seemed his sister’s turian lover was now the Primarch of Palaven. <em>That means those little abominations he fathered are practically royalty. Dammit! That complicates things</em>.</p>
<p>Shane headed toward the medbay wondering if it was even worth it now to allow her to keep breathing. Hackett had given him back his rank and his command, after all. Clearly the stain on his record meant little in the light of a post-war galaxy. <em>Do I really need her Spectre access now? Does it matter?</em> He thought it might. That would be even more relevant should something happen to Hackett before the Alliance archives were adjusted. He knew that if Hackett’s authority were somehow overturned, he could lose everything again.</p>
<p>“What do <em>you</em> want?” Miranda snapped the second he entered the medbay.</p>
<p>“I’m just making sure you’ve done what was required of you.” Shane said as he crossed the room toward the stasis tube.</p>
<p>“And I thought I made my refusal <em>abundantly</em> clear.” Miranda growled, crossing her arms and glaring at him.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter. If the right compounds are injected into the ports, she’ll naturally abort.” Shane growled, still sickened at the idea of his own flesh and blood breeding with an alien. “Flooding the tank with dextro toxins should do the trick.”</p>
<p>“You <em>can’t</em> do that! <em>She</em> made the choice. You have <em>no right</em> to circumvent her body autonomy.” Miranda growled, clearly attempting to reason with him.</p>
<p>“I don’t see a difference. <em>You</em> did… when you reanimated her corpse. Besides, how can you be sure she <em>chose</em> this? Would <em>you?</em> Those <em>things</em> she’s carrying could be monsters. Are you sure you wanna be responsible for helping release them into the galaxy? We don’t <em>know</em> what they really are.” he attempted to make her see reason. The woman was a scientist, after all.</p>
<p>Shane willed her to see the fear of the unknown that this pregnancy was invoking. She had to realize allowing those hybrids to be born could mean the end of everything they knew. <em>The end of humanity… and maybe even the turian race. Not that I care what happens to them, but…</em></p>
<p>“A <em>new</em> species is what they are.” Dr. Hale growled from the other side of the medbay. “And there’s not a damn thing you can do about them now.”</p>
<p>Shane glared at the man before glancing back up at the stasis tube. He noticed the three blue lights along the base and frowned. “What have you done?”</p>
<p>“Secured the safety of our patient.” Miranda snapped at him and leaned a hip against the exam bed near the stasis tube.</p>
<p>Shane stepped up to the stasis tube and tapped in an access code on the console to open the injection port. His frown deepened when it buzzed at him. When a panel slid out beside the console requesting a palm print and DNA analysis, his eyes snapped back to her.</p>
<p>“Go ahead. Try to gain access.” Hale huffed a faint laugh as he too crossed his arms.</p>
<p>Shane did exactly that a heartbeat later.</p>
<p>“Access denied. Gene analysis inconsistent with locks.” the computer informed him emotionlessly.</p>
<p>“Oh you <em>bitch!</em>” Shane snarled coldly and turned toward Miranda. He reached for her and shouted. “<em>Do you know what you’ve done?</em>”</p>
<p>“She knows… We all do… because <em>I</em> sealed the locks for her.” Jane said from her seated position on one of the exam beds. There was a cruel smile on her face as she glanced up at him from her data pad.</p>
<p>“I should have <em>killed </em>you on the station.” Shane growled and headed toward the clone.</p>
<p>“Maybe you should reconsider that line of thought.” Dr. Hale growled a second before Shane felt a sharp jab in the side of his neck. A moment later, he staggered and the room spun away from him.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you actually did it…” Miranda said in shock as the big man went limp in the thin doctor’s arms.</p>
<p>“We should probably keep him sedated until we reach Earth.” Hale said as he hauled Shane toward an exam bed and heaved him onto it.</p>
<p>“Can we do that?” Jane asked hopefully.</p>
<p>“I don’t see why not. Captain Marshall is still on board.” Miranda said with a nod.</p>
<p>“Yes and he can assume command as soon as he’s informed of Sloane’s ‘collapse’.” Hale said with a smile. The look on Miranda’s face caused that smile to evaporate. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Miri?”</p>
<p>“Could he be right… about Shepard’s pregnancy?” she looked up at the woman inside the tank then. “Are we allowing her to bring something dangerous into the world?”</p>
<p>“You said it yourself, we don’t have the right to choose for her. But… if you’re that concerned, align one of the medical scanners with the stasis tube’s systems. Bring up a full body scan and look her twins over.” Hale suggested after a moment.</p>
<p>Miranda thought about it for a minute then nodded. She knew it was the only way to be sure. There were any number of things those nanites and cybernetics could be doing to the woman and her babies. More so than a normal pregnancy, she knew since they were hybrids.</p>
<p>After a couple of minutes, she nodded more to herself than anyone else in the room and stepped over to the exam bed nearest the tank. With a few keystrokes on the console at the foot of the bed, she’d swung the scanner up and aligned it with the woman inside. It took a couple of minutes to link it to the tank’s systems in order to create the holo-image.</p>
<p>The moment the image was constructed, Miranda panned it and manipulated it until the image drew in close to the twins. They floated together peacefully wiggling and swaying, separated by a thin membrane. She thought they resembled baby birds without beaks, but clearly mixed with human DNA. The holo-image revealed the strong resemblance to their father.</p>
<p>“Four fingers… three toes, a thin webbing of tissue spanning the normally open cheek area.” Hale stepped up beside her and studied the live image. “And… are those… pin feathers covering their plates?”</p>
<p>“It looks that way, but do they look normal enough?” Miranda said thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“They look turian… with just a couple of differences.” Hale said with a shrug.</p>
<p>Miranda wheeled the scanner around for a closer look. “Boys or girls? I can never tell with turians…”</p>
<p>“That’s the easy part, Miri. Longer mandible flanges, no extra nub and a shorter seam is female.” Hale chuckled and pointed out the twin on the left. “This one’s a boy… but… he doesn’t have the secondary nub on his mandibles. Strange.”</p>
<p>“Maybe it grows in during maturity?” Miranda asked, raising her brows.</p>
<p>“No, it’s there or it isn’t from birth.” Hale answered and leaned in to get a better look. “It must be something to do with the genetic mixing. They both have an oddly shorter mandible base.”</p>
<p>“The question is; will they be a danger to anyone? That’s Sloane’s concern.” Miranda searched his face for the answer.</p>
<p>“They’re babies. How dangerous can a baby be?” Hale just chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Leave it be, Miri. They’re more turian than human according to this image. Unless there are some significant deviations in development over the next few months, I’d say even their grandfather would be hard pressed to say they aren’t pure turian.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know about that.” Jane spoke up then. “You said they have four fingers. That’s gonna draw some attention… and some questions.”</p>
<p>“Congenital defects happen all the time.” Hale glanced back toward her. “We still have humans with vestigial tails. Either way, we should inform Captain Marshall of Shane’s 'collapse'. He’ll want to resume command as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>Miranda glanced toward the lump on the far exam bed with a sickened twist of her lips. <em>It wouldn’t take much to be done with this whole business. A quick injection of something toxic and untraceable… The Alliance would never know the difference. No less than he was about to do to Shepard.</em></p>
<p>Hale gently grabbed her upper arm when she started toward the cabinets. The look on her face must have given her away. He shook his head, eyes boring into hers. “Whatever you’re planning, Miri. Don’t. They’ll lock you up for the rest of your life.”</p>
<p>“I wasn’t planning anything.” Miranda grumbled, but stood her ground.</p>
<p>“Bullshit. I know that look. Like it or not, he gets to live. Let the Alliance sort it out.” he glanced toward Shepard with a slightly twisted smile. “Or her mate.”</p>
<p>At that suggestion, Miranda glanced back at the commander as well. She nodded then and opened her omni-tool, hoping they were close enough to a comm buoy to send the message through. She knew he’d recognize the sender, after all, she’d already sent him a couple of messages regarding the commander. Even if the message took a couple of days to reach him, she was certain of the outcome. She only hoped she was there to see what the turian did to Shepard’s brother.</p>
<p>
  <em>Sender: cyberqueen.@cerberus.7.24.2112</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Recipient: archangel.@omega.1.22.8295</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The Fury will be docking with Earth One in a matter of days. Be prepared. Shepard’s brother is technically in command. Her safety is not his top priority. I believe he intends to kill her, and the clone we picked up, once he has what he wants.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>-M. Lawson</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. The Landing Platform</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hackett is playing dirty pool, but he's not counting on the clone.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The second the Fury docked, Hackett was ready with a small unit of soldiers on standby. The unit was waiting to board. They would take the occupants of the medbay into custody and transport the stasis tube to a secure location. He’d been receiving reports from Dr. Chloe Michel for days now. They’d left the doctor to her own devices after she’d managed to convince them that she’d been coerced and drugged. The admiral hadn’t bothered to ask exactly how she’d pulled that off.</p>
<p>Dr. Michel’s freedom had given her the opportunity to monitor Sloane’s condition even though Dr. Hale was keeping him sedated. She’d also included some disturbing news in several of her reports over the last few days. Shepard’s stasis tube had been genetically sealed and she wasn’t sure who might be able to release it at this point.</p>
<p>Hackett had simply sighed in frustration at that news. He had a team of scientists ready to study the commander and her hybrids. There was a very good chance one of them might be able to crack the lock if all three weren’t set. If they were, he’d make sure the scientists got samples from as many of her former team as possible. <em>Vakarian’s planetside, stirring up trouble. Won’t take much to acquire a sample from him. Wrex is supposed to be down there somewhere as well. That sample might be harder to get a hold of</em>.</p>
<p>The airlock opened and Hackett directed his unit to board. He’d already informed Captain Marshall what was about to happen before the Fury docked. The man and his crew would stand down and allow his unit to proceed unhindered.</p>
<p>Several long moments went by before he heard angry shouts. His team hauled Lawson and the man Michel had mentioned. Hale, he thought the man’s name was.</p>
<p>“You can’t do this!” Miranda yelled as she was hauled out, her arms twisted behind her back. She froze the moment she saw the admiral. “Call them off! This is wrong and you know it!”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid this is in the best interest of galactic life. We have no way of knowing if Shepard is indoctrinated. Her hybrid pregnancy could be a product of Reaper manipulation of the cybernetics spread throughout her body.” Hackett reasoned.</p>
<p>“She’s not indoctrinated, you idiot! She’s in a coma!” Hale snapped as he struggled against the men hauling him out. “Shepard needs medical care!”</p>
<p>“Sir. We couldn’t find the clone.” one of his men stopped before him and reported.</p>
<p>Hackett sighed in frustration and rubbed the scar across his cheek for a moment. “Leave her. I’ve read Miss Lawson’s reports. She’s not compatible with the commander since the cybernetic alterations.”</p>
<p>“Aye, sir.” the man saluted.</p>
<p>“Inform Captain Marshall to secure himself and his crew in hardsuits. They’re to purge the atmosphere of Fury into space and evacuate any possible contagions.” Hackett told him before turning to those wheeling the stasis tube out. “Secure that on the shuttle. I don’t want the tube cracked.”</p>
<p>“What about them?” Sloane growled groggily as two men supported him between them. “They disobeyed orders, drugged me and conspired to commit mutiny.”</p>
<p>“They’ll be dealt with, Sloane. I’ll debrief you in my office momentarily.” Hackett said before turning his attention back to the men holding onto Lawson and Hale. "Take them down the hall to security and toss them in a holding cell.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Jane clung to the glass of the stasis tube as they moved it toward the shuttle. She hoped the tactical cloak she’d managed to smuggle off Minuteman Station held out until they reached the surface. It had been one of the many projects she’d been working on after the red wave shorted out most devices. She hadn’t even been sure the thing was going to work until the appearance of the soldiers had forced her to activate it.</p>
<p>Miranda had shown her images of Shepard’s crew, at least the ones she’d set the locks for. The plan was to hitch a ride to Earth and find one of them. The scientist seemed to think the horribly scarred turian would be the easiest to find. The woman had warned her that he’d know she was a clone right away. She didn’t carry his bondmark or his scent markers. Rumor had it he’d already killed one clone. She’d been warned to be careful when approaching him.</p>
<p>The moment the soldiers secured the stasis tube in the rear of the shuttle, Jane carefully climbed down from it. She didn’t want to be standing on the base of the thing when the shuttle hit the planet’s atmosphere. The reading she’d done told her there was usually some kind of turbulence upon re-entry. The last thing she wanted to do was fall off and give herself away with noise.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before they reached the landing platform on the surface. The trip had been relatively uneventful. She’d taken a seat near the stasis tube and waited it out. No one ventured back there to even check on it. There’d been little to no risk of discovery.</p>
<p>The moment the shuttle touched down and the hatch opened, she slipped out and darted toward the prefab buildings of the refugee camp. That was where she’d find Normandy’s crew if they were anywhere. The moment she was out of sight of the shuttle, she deactivated her cloak and opened her omni-tool. She created and encrypted a mailing address and sent a message to the address Miranda had given her. Unless he had changed it, Shepard’s mate would receive it in a matter of minutes.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sender: [encrypted] error 405</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Recipient: archangel.@omega.1.22.8295</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Come to the landing platform immediately. Do not delay. CAT6 is moving Shepard’s stasis tube from the Fury to a secured location. Bring backup.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Once it was sent, she re-cloaked and waited to see who came. The men were already moving the stasis tube out of the shuttle. They’d clearly put a command code into the console to turn the glass an opaque charcoal gray. It made a certain kind of sense. After all, they wouldn’t want the general public to see what was inside.</p>
<p>Jane didn’t have long to wait. The scarred turian stepped out from between a couple of the makeshift barracks and limped toward the platform. He wore armor similar to some of the C-Sec officers roaming around. She was glad she’d done so much reading and research after her awakening. If not, she wouldn’t have known anything about the security details. As it was, she found herself frowning at his armor. It wasn’t the same as the armor he’d worn in the image Miranda had shown her. It was a similar design as the others, but where theirs was blue and black, his had a silver ring around the cowl. There were silver stripes running parallel to his ribs as well.</p>
<p>The turian passed by her within inches as he limped determinedly toward the guards and the stasis tube. She couldn’t read his face well, but she suspected the drawn in mandibles and the hooded eyes meant he was fairly pissed off.</p>
<p>As he half jogged up the short set of stairs, she noticed the brace supporting the knee joint around the missing spur. It didn’t seem to hinder him much as he confronted the soldiers. From the angry growl that issued from him, she no longer had any doubts how he felt about what was going on.</p>
<p>Frowning, Jane looked around for the backup she’d suggested he bring. No one else was heading in his direction. <em>Is he crazy or just stupid? Those soldiers could gun him down. Then who would stop them from doing whatever they please with Shepard?</em> The thought infuriated her. Fate could just as easily have turned on her in this case. She might have been in the other woman’s place. <em>A couple memory ingrams… and that might have been me in that stasis tube</em>.</p>
<p>“I don’t give a damn who you are. This stasis tube is none of your concern.” she heard one of the guards snap at the turian.</p>
<p>“I think it is.” the turian growled. “You see… I think that’s my bondmate in that thing. Preventing me from taking her to a medical facility could be considered an act of ill will toward the hierarchy. You wouldn’t want that… now would you?”</p>
<p>“Fuck off, skullface!” one of them shoved the turian and Jane drew in just a little closer.</p>
<p>That was all it took. Her eyes widened when he grabbed the man and snapped his arm like a twig. He shoved the howling soldier into the others and headed toward the stasis tube.</p>
<p>“Hey, Garrus! You causin’ trouble again?” came a deep throated shout from behind and Jane glanced back at the biggest alien she’d ever seen.</p>
<p><em>God, that has to be a krogan. What the hell was strong enough to put those scars on his face?</em> She spotted another one charging along behind him in silver-gray armor. He wasn’t as big, but he looked just as deadly.</p>
<p>“No… I’m cleaning up the trouble.” Garrus grumbled.</p>
<p>A combat knife Jane hadn’t seen seemed to pop into the turian’s hand. He spun it lazily and motioned for the human soldiers to come at him, his mandibles were flared wide. If she had to guess what the expression meant, she’d have said he was smiling at them. <em>Fuck, he really is crazy. Glad I’m not in Shepard’s shoes now</em>.</p>
<p>“I don’t know. I think you’re stirrin’ a varren nest.” The big krogan laughed and glanced toward the stasis tube. “That Shepard in there?”</p>
<p>“Has to be.” Garrus grumbled and took a swipe at one of the soldiers rushing toward him. “You mind grabbin’ this guy. He’s pissin’ me off...”</p>
<p>“Heh-heh-heh.” the smaller krogan just laughed and charged forward. The smaller one thundered past her and plowed into the soldiers like bowling pins. Those that didn’t fall directly, he shoved or threw.</p>
<p><em>That’s enough craziness for me. I’m out. They got this now</em>. Jane backed away a few feet to ensure she was out of range of the fighting. It was turning into a free-for-all. She knew she didn’t have Shepard’s skills and had no intention of being spotted. Instead, she made sure the tactical cloak was still engaged and made her way deeper into the camp. <em>I’ll send Miranda a message. Let her know they grabbed the stasis tube, but I am leaving… The turian is insane and Shepard can damn well have him. She must be just as crazy as he is… maybe crazier.</em></p>
<p>Slipping in between a couple of makeshift buildings, she peeked around the corner at the chaos that was the landing platform. Security was getting involved now and she was glad she’d vacated the area. Dropping her cloak, she opened her omni-tool and sent a message off to Miranda. She doubted the woman would reply any time soon, but it was worth a try. There was one last message she needed to send now that it appeared that the landing platform was returning to a semblance of order.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sender: [encrypted] error 405</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Recipient: archangel.@omega.1.22.8295</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Hackett’s the ringleader.</em>
</p>
<p><em>P.S. </em><em><span class="u">Don’t</span></em> <em>kill the messenger if you see me.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Eyes on the Prize</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everyone has got their eyes on Shepard, but not all mean for her to recover.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wrex and Grunt moved the stasis tube along. Garrus glanced over his shoulder, the feeling of being watched crawling all the way up to the base of his fringe. After a moment, he shrugged it off and turned back in the direction the krogan were taking the tube. <em>Of course, there are people watching me. News is spreading like wildfire. Some already know I’m the new Primarch</em>, he still grumbled to himself over that idea. <em><span class="u">Spirits!</span></em> <em>I don’t want that responsibility. I guess I’m it though. No one else left…</em> It was a humbling notion to know that all one hundred plus praetors were gone. He could almost feel the hand of fate resting on his shoulder at times. Now was one of those times, he realized as he stepped into a limping jog to catch up with the krogan.</p>
<p>The krogan made short work of moving the tank into the building that was serving as a hospital. Garrus didn’t know if that was its intended purpose, but it seemed fair to assume so. The halls were relatively empty. The turian assumed most of the post-war chaos had settled down over the last few months. </p>
<p>They passed through several hallways, some with damaged doors before they came to what was clearly a triage area. He realized they must have come in through a side entrance. Wrex, he realized, likely planned it that way given the circumstances.</p>
<p>“May I help you?” a human woman asked from behind a counter.</p>
<p>“We’ve got Shepard.” Wrex barked.</p>
<p>The woman’s eyes widened and her breath caught a second before she moved around the counter. Her omni-tool was already open and she was calling for more medical assistance before she’d stepped between the three of them. Her hands flew over the console inlaid in the front of the tank’s base and the uppermost section of the glass cleared.</p>
<p>“Shepard…” Garrus whispered, his breath catching as he saw her face.</p>
<p>The twisted mass of scars he’d seen in that other world over her left eye was softer now. Her eyelids were well defined and from the roll and twitch, he was certain her eye must have been replaced with a cybernetic replica. <em>Miranda must have done that</em>, he thought with a faint release of breath.</p>
<p>A moment later, a swarm of humans surround the tank, virtually pushing the three of them out of the way. They rushed down a hallway with it and disappeared around a corner. Garrus wanted to follow them, but the first woman they’d spoken to barred his way.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. Staff only. We’ll let you know once she’s settled into a room.” the woman said kindly. “Can I get your name?”</p>
<p>When he didn’t answer, Wrex clamped a large hand on his shoulder. “This is Garrus Vakarian. You tell him where she’s settled first. The rest of us can wait.”</p>
<p><em>~Hey, Marissa, we’ve got a problem in here.~</em> came a male voice over the woman’s omni-tool. <em>~This thing’s genetically locked. The primary lock is turian… labeled GV. Any ideas who that is or how we get this thing open?~</em></p>
<p>“Yeah… I do, actually. I’ve got him right here.” she breathed and looked back up at the turian. “If you’ll come with me, sir. I think we need <em>you</em> to open the stasis tube.”</p>
<p>“Go on, kid. Go see to your mate.” Wrex motioned him onward.</p>
<p>Garrus followed the woman down the same hallway the others had taken his mate’s stasis tube. There was a large room a few yards past that corner and she ushered him into it. His eyes were locked on his bondmate on full display now. Her nudity was barely concealed, but that wasn’t what drew his attention. The rounded belly expanded past her hip bones, that was what his eyes were locked to.</p>
<p>“This the guy?” the male voice from the omni-tool asked as he rushed toward them. “We need you over here.”</p>
<p>Garrus was shuffled toward the front of the tank quickly then. His mandibles dropped and his jaws parted slightly at the sight of her. He took in the scars, the servos embedded in the flesh of her right arm from shoulder to wrist and even the missing leg. Her right leg from about mid-thigh down had been replaced with a turian designed prosthetic. She was relatively bald and there were burn scars puckering the skin across the left side of her face. <em>Doesn’t matter, she’s alive</em>, he reminded himself as he glanced down at the console before him with the palm pad waiting.</p>
<p>“Put your hand on the pad, sir. We’ll do the rest.” the man behind him encouraged.</p>
<p>Garrus hesitated only a moment before doing as he was asked. A beep sounded and a jet of pressurized air spouted from the top of the cylinder. In seconds, the tank began to drain. Before they could force him out of the way, the tank opened and Shepard fell out bonelessly. If he hadn’t been there, she might have landed on the floor. He knew the kinds of injuries that could have resulted… even the loss of the pregnancy.</p>
<p>Instead, he caught her and held her close, protecting his family instinctively. She was warm, wet and reeking of medi-gel, but he didn’t care. He shifted his grip on her, hooking his arm beneath her knees. Through it all, he could still smell his pheromones on her skin. He caught that odd sweet scent all the stronger as well. <em>The scent of pregnancy</em>, he told himself. <em>I didn’t recognize it before. Hadn’t been around enough pregnant humans</em>.</p>
<p>“Alright… that’s one way to get her out. Now we need you to put her on the exam bed and allow us to do our jobs.” the man suggested.</p>
<p>Garrus could not control the growling rumble that passed through him at the thought of leaving her side. It had been so long since he’d held her in his arms. He closed his eyes and rubbed his scarred mandible against the top of her head gently. <em>Get a grip, Vakarian. They have to make sure she’s going to be ok</em>.</p>
<p>“It’s alright… Garrus, was it? Bring your mate over here. We’ll be gentle in her treatment.” Marissa said, her hand hovering on the edge of touching his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Are you crazy? That’s Commander Shepard in his arms. How can you be sure he’s her mate?” the man hissed at her.</p>
<p>“Look at them! Look at the way he’s holding her and rubbing his mandible against her scalp.… Do you see the bondmark on her shoulder?” Marissa pointed out, her eyes never leaving the turian’s face.</p>
<p>“Oh damn, how’d I miss that?” the man asked.</p>
<p>“Because you’re an idiot, Tom. Now… let’s make sure she’s comfortable.” Marissa said and waved Garrus toward the exam bed.</p>
<p>With a quiet rumble of displeasure, Garrus followed her instructions. He was reluctant to release his hold on Shepard when he carefully arranged her on the exam bed. Before he’d completely settled in the chair near the wall, a blanket was tossed over her. He was in the way, he knew it, but he was unable to bring himself to release her hand.</p>
<p>Eventually, Marissa squatted down before him and put her hand over his and Shepard’s. “You gotta let her go so we can take care of her. Go get some dinner. I <em>promise</em>… we’ll let you know as soon as we have her settled. Just give me your contact details.”</p>
<p>Garrus blinked at her and realized she was talking to him as if he were a small child. <em>Is that where I am right now? Spirits… this is harder than I thought it would be</em>. With a nod, he released Shepard’s hand and opened his omni-tool. He didn’t speak, he simply showed the girl his contact details.</p>
<p>A moment later, he levered himself up out of the chair he felt as if he’d been cemented into. His knee cracked and wobbled, but the brace held. With a last look at his bondmate, he took a step to her side and bent down. Cupping her face in both of his hands, he pressed his plated brow to her forehead.</p>
<p>“I won’t be far.” he whispered before straightening and heading for the door. He glanced back at the medical staff before he stepped out into the hallway. “Inform me as soon as she’s settled.”</p>
<p>“You have my word.” Marissa nodded.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Hackett gripped the edge of his desk hard enough to make his knuckles crack when the report came across his console. <em>Shepard alive in London</em>, the headline read. He snarled the name when the woman appeared on his screen. “<em>Khalisa! Dammit!</em> That woman has her nose in every shithole out there.”</p>
<p>Glaring at the screen, he realized Vakarian was coming out of the hospital. A pair of krogan flanked him on either side like bodyguards. The admiral knew that could be a serious problem as he paused the feed and zoomed it in to get a better look at them.</p>
<p>“It <em>had</em> to be Wrex, didn’t it? That krogan is more trouble than he’s worth.” Hackett grumbled to himself. He allowed the feed to jump back into realtime before he opened his omni-tool. The second the man’s face appeared on the tiny screen he nodded. “Sloane, I’ve got a location on Shepard.”</p>
<p>“I’m watching the news feed now. The whole damn galaxy knows she’s alive now. You got a plan?” Sloane asked in obvious irritation.</p>
<p>“Maybe, but it’ll require some less than legal activity.” Hackett answered quickly.</p>
<p>“Then you called the right man, Admiral.” Sloane grinned.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Awakening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus isn't thrilled to encounter a xenophobic nurse in his mates room.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Garrus is gonna drop a bombshell here... her name, or at least the shortened version he calls her in private...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus moaned softly when his omni-tool pinged. It was late and he’d barely managed to calm his anxiety enough to sit down before the terminal in his tiny room. After returning to the encampment, he’d walked the entire parameter twice before finally making his way back to the barracks on the eastern end. Then he’d spent a couple more hours pacing the length of the room. There were a few complaints from those attempting to rest after long hours of helping with repairs on grounded ships.</p>
<p>At some point, he’d finally returned to the small room just off the rear of the barracks that served as his quarters. He didn’t remember sitting down at the small table that held an even smaller assortment of personal items. Nor did he remember resting his head on his arms and nodding off to sleep. </p>
<p>The ping sounded again and he lifted his head with a tired yawn. Sitting back, he opened the omni-tool and his eyes widened at the message scrolling across it. He was on his feet and out the door in seconds. Pre-dawn light greeted him as he ran down the street to the hospital. He’d waited all night for them to notify him of the room his mate would be in. Now he had that room number, he’d get the rest of the details once he made his presence known.</p>
<p>It didn’t take him long to reach the hospital and find the right floor. He limped along, looking for the room. It wasn’t hard to find. No one else was on this floor. It was with a great deal of hesitation that he stopped before the closed door. He could see movement inside, a nurse, presumably. It took a great deal more courage than he would have expected to open that door. The deeply seeded pessimist within him feared what the medical staff might tell him about his bondmate’s condition. He knew there was a good chance she might not wake up. That was just something he didn’t want to hear right now. He hated hospitals and what they represented.</p>
<p>When he did finally open that door, he gasped at the sight that assaulted him. Shepard, ever the strong, vibrant woman tearing through enemies on the battlefield, looked small, pale and fragile propped up in the bed surrounded by machines. If her familiar scent hadn’t wafted over him, he might have thought they’d given him the wrong room.</p>
<p>His eyes roved over her and halted on the rounded abdomen that distorted the blanket tucked around her.</p>
<p>Before he could take more than a couple of steps into the room, a nurse stepped in front of him seemingly out of nowhere. She was short, round and angry with her fists on her hips as she glared up at him. He started to step past her and she blocked his way. “Who are you and what do you want?”</p>
<p>“I’m here to see her. What’s her condition?” Garrus murmured.</p>
<p>“I thought I made it clear to the last aliens that tried to come in here. This room is <em>strictly</em> off limits to non-human visitors. Her condition is far too delicate. She doesn't need <em>any</em> of you here.” the angry nurse growled hatefully.</p>
<p>Garrus glared at the woman, his mandibles fluttering in irritation. “What… exactly… <em>is </em>her condition?”</p>
<p>“That’s none of your concern. Now get out and take your alien germs with you. Cerberus was right to separate her from the lot of you.” the woman snapped.</p>
<p>Garrus glared at her then, his piercing blue gaze locked with hers. His voice, when he spoke, was barely more than an angry growl, “What she <em>doesn't need</em> is a pompous, self-righteous, xenophobic, narrowminded <em>bitch</em> like you polluting her air-space.”</p>
<p>“<em>How dare you!</em> What's your name, alien? I'll have you permanently barred from this facility.” she snarled as she continued to block his way.</p>
<p>“I'm Garrus Vakarian, the <em>Primarch</em> of Palaven… Maybe you’ve heard of it.” Garrus stood his ground and waited for a response. When none came, he leaned in a little. “I'd appreciate it if you remove <em>yourself</em> from <em>my</em> <em>mate's</em> room.... <em>now!</em>”</p>
<p>Garrus had the satisfaction of watching the nurse turn a lovely shade of red as her mouth worked angrily. He thought she looked like the fish Shepard had once tried to keep in the tank in their quarters. It was almost laughable.</p>
<p>“Apparently the rumors were true.” the woman grumbled softly, glaring toward the door. She shook her head and continued. “I didn’t want to believe the Savior of the Galaxy would sink so low as to sully herself with an alien… especially not a <em>turian</em>. Find someone else to change her dressing and her diapers then. I'll not nurse an alien-loving whore.”</p>
<p>Nurse 'Xenophobe' started to step around him and his hand snaked out. Garrus grabbed the woman's arm firmly. His voice was little more than an angry snarl, his sub-harmonics raging against reason, “<em>What</em> did you just say?”</p>
<p>“You heard me. Now let me go before I have C-Sec throw you in a hole somewhere.” the woman snapped at him.</p>
<p>“C-Sec.... <em>riiiight</em>, you actually think they would touch the <em>Primarch?</em>” Garrus lowered his face until it was bare inches from hers and said clearly, “<em>Leave</em>.”</p>
<p>The nurse was gone in a matter of seconds and with her the last obstacle between him and the woman he loved. Cautiously, he approached the bed taking in every sight and sound. Heart monitor, respirator, wires, and tubes covered nearly every visible inch of her. A ragged sigh escaped him as he pulled the room's only chair close to the bed. He barely recognized her through all the burn scars.</p>
<p>Easing himself down into the chair, he lowered the bed rail before him so that he might reach her hand more easily. It was warm, but so terribly thin that he feared he might break the bones if he applied too much pressure. He gently rubbed his bare thumb over the delicate flesh of the back of her hand. Skin to skin contact with close relatives and lovers was best with coma patients, that’s what they had told him. If there was any part of her in there, she might well be aware of him.</p>
<p>Garrus leaned in, glancing at her rounded belly before his voice rumbled in a sub-harmonic laced whisper. He knew she’d feel the depth of those tones no matter how far below the surface she might be. “<em>Shay</em>… Come back to me.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The sub-harmonic resonance of his voice reached her through the building darkness of the woods around her. She heard him as she sat on that bench. The woods that had been so bright when he’d last come to her, were darkened and dying. That darkness threatened to consume everything in its path. She was trapped there with no clear way to wakefulness. His voice was the lifeline she reached for. Her name on his breath was the way home. <em>He</em> was real. She knew it to her core. To everyone else she was simply <em>Commander</em> Shepard. That had been her ‘name’ so long she’d nearly forgotten she had another. No one used her given name. Even Garrus was reluctant.</p>
<p>There were moments, however, precious few reserved just for them, that he called her something other than <em>Commander</em>. To Garrus, she was simply Shay. His best friend, his lover, his mate and so much more.</p>
<p>‘<em>Don’t call me </em><em><span class="u">Commander</span></em> <em>or </em><em><span class="u">Shepard</span></em><em>. Call me </em><em><span class="u">Shayla</span></em> <em>when we’re like this</em>’, she’d asked that first night before the Omega-4 relay. The request became a promise on his part before she dropped him off on Palaven. When she found him again on Menae, it became an oath. It surprised her when he shortened her name to <em>Shay</em> during their first night together after so many months apart. She’d gladly embraced it and him.</p>
<p>Now she struggled to pull herself back to the waking world, back to him. She heard him, every vibration, every rumble and every word. Sometimes he simply talked to her, told her about his day. On occasion he hummed that turian lullaby to her or openly sang it in quiet tones. Still others, he pleaded in a desperate dual-toned whisper with her to wake up. When she heard him keening softly against her at other times, it broke her heart. There was no way of knowing exactly how much time passed between those moments in the real world. It could have hours or months for all she knew.</p>
<p>When she felt the first strong kicks of the life growing within her, something snapped like a rubber band that had been holding her back. The stalemate between her soul and the darkness fighting to devour her was broken.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus had rested his crossed arms on the edge of the bed as he so often did. He was tired from the long hours of coordinating rations shipments, repair teams and a multitude of other tasks. He'd rested his head on his arms for only a moment as he sat with Shepard, or so he thought. He realized, after a couple of moments, that he’d dozed off. It had become part of his regular routine over the last weeks. No one bothered him and Shepard didn’t wake up. Most of the tubes and wires were long since gone. Only the steady rise and fall of her chest indicated that she still lived.</p>
<p>Now he jolted awake at the feather-lite touch across his left cheekbone, just below his visor. His brow plates drew down and he blinked the sleep out of his eyes with a soft groan. The sensation came again, a caress that drifted to his mandible and his eyes darted toward Shepard. At first, nothing looked out of place. Her head was tilted slightly toward him on the pillow as it had been when he’d sat near the bed. Her eyes were closed, the orbs beneath the lids barely moving. He sighed and gently wrapped his hand around hers where it rested on the blanket. Her fingers squeezed his weakly and his attention snapped back to her face. Those eyes that had been closed for so very long were slitted open a fraction now. She blinked and took a deep breath, the skin between her brows creasing in a frown.</p>
<p>Garrus stood so quickly that the chair behind him tipped over. He pressed her hand to his mouth plates gently. Barely a heartbeat later, he cupped the sides of her face and pressed his plated brow to her forehead.</p>
<p>“<em>Spirits!</em> <em>You’re awake</em>…” the turian barely controlled the keen rising through his chest in a shuddering breath.</p>
<p>“I… <em>found...</em> you…” she whispered hoarsely, her hand gripping the back of his neck.</p>
<p>Nodding slightly against her forehead, he closed his eyes then. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight again. “I never left you… I’ve been right here… every night since they brought you in. I <em>promised</em> I’d always have your six, <em>Shay</em>.”</p>
<p>Shepard huffed a faint breath and the smile on her face told him it was a laugh. That smile turned to a thoughtful expression an instant later and he noticed her other hand spreading out across her belly. He covered it with his larger hand as he straightened a fraction, his fingers smoothing hers over the mound.</p>
<p>“How long was I gone?” she whispered.</p>
<p>“A couple of months in space… a couple more months here...” Garrus breathed before turning to retrieve the chair.</p>
<p>She followed him with her eyes, her frown deepening the crease between her brows. “I’m sorry….”</p>
<p>Garrus shook his head and started to sit back down in the chair. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”</p>
<p>Shepard patted the bed beside her and after only a moment’s hesitation, he sat there instead. She reached for him then and he took her hands. Weak as she was, she still managed to pull herself to him. When her arms wrapped around his neck inside his cowl, his breath hitched on another keen. He locked his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder against the place that carried his mark.</p>
<p>“<em>I heard you</em>…” she whispered near his ear-pore. Her hands smoothed the fabric over his carapace soothingly as a deep keen broke from his chest. He released the pent-up emotions against her shoulder shamelessly then. “Shhh… I’m here. I love you, Garrus.”</p>
<p>His breath hitched on the need to say those words back to her. It scorched his throat, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them, not now. Every time he managed to say those three little words to her, they twisted into ‘goodbye’. He knew he’d lose her for good the next time things went sideways. Instead, he held her as tightly as he dared, his hands fisting in the back of the hospital gown she wore.</p>
<p>“If this is a dream… I don’t wanna wake up this time. I… can’t…” he breathed against her neck. He never begged, not for anything. His whisper was barely within the range of human hearing. “<em>Please</em>… don’t… ask me to do that.”</p>
<p>“We’re not sitting on a beach. I think it’s safe to say this is real, lover.” she whispered against his ear-pore. </p>
<p>Garrus huffed a faint laugh and raised up to rest his plated brow against her forehead. She grunted with a frown a heartbeat later and grabbed his wrist, guiding his hand to her distended belly. He’d glanced down and rested his hand on the upper part of the swell. His mandibles flared with a sharp intake of breath at the faint flutters beneath his palm. A second harder flutter thumped against his palm and he locked eyes with Shepard. She smiled and pulled him in for a very human kiss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Too Many Variables</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shane has bided his time. Now he's up to no good.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shane watched the media storm swirling around his sister for a little over eight weeks. It was confirmed early on that she was in a coma. There were whispers about her pregnancy, but little else. It seemed credits still went a long way to seal lips. He’d done what he could to hush that little nugget of news. Even still, tidbits managed to slip out across unofficial channels. His sister’s survival was the hottest topic since the construction of the first Normandy, after all.</p>
<p>The turian had rarely left her side since she was brought in. That didn’t surprise Shane overly much, if he was being honest with himself. The male did have a distinctive pattern, however. He left for a few hours every day before returning at night to sit with her.</p>
<p>Shane had watched this pattern, even followed him around through his daily tasks a few times. It seemed the new Primarch had a laundry list of tasks he was keeping up with. Not the least of which was helping with tech repairs to both ships and various facilities. The two krogan that had been on the Citadel followed him around like bodyguards during the day. At night, when he returned to Shepard’s room, they left him to it.</p>
<p>Stepping into the hospital in the early afternoon, Shane was fairly certain the turian would be absent from the room for a few hours yet. He almost felt the need to wash his hands as he looked around in distaste. There were cracks in the walls, the floors were uneven and water stained the ceiling. The building was still under ‘renovation’ of sorts. The Reapers had left many of the buildings still standing damaged or collapsing. This one had just been the best of them.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of standing there looking around in disgust, he moved off toward the elevator. It was a testament to the amount of work that had already been done that it was working at all. Stepping in, he hit the button for the third floor. He knew that was where his sister would be. An entire floor had been devoted to her care. They intended to see that she had the best facilities they could offer once her road to recovery began. The last he’d heard, she was still in a coma.</p>
<p>Making his way down the hall, he took note of a few things. The first was the lack of noise or even personnel roaming the hallways. There were several rooms along the way, all empty. Most of the doors simply didn’t work as he passed them. The rooms were dark and silent.</p>
<p>Only one door was working on the entire floor. Stopping before it, he saw the turian get up off the edge of the bed through the glass cutouts. The male headed toward a small room off to the left that must have been the bathroom. He never noticed Shane standing there outside the door. The second he heard the door close, he entered the room.</p>
<p><em>Have to be quick about this. No time to play around here. The skullface could come out of the bathroom any second</em>. Shane rushed over toward the bed and the small, frail looking woman lying in it. He grabbed the IV bag from the pole and tossed it into her lap before hooking his arms under her. The blanket came with her when he lifted her out of the bed. Even heavily pregnant, she was much lighter than he thought she’d be.</p>
<p>Shepard’s head lulled to the side and rested against his shoulder. A flash memory of her falling asleep against him when they were little drew the beginnings of a faint smile across his face. He crushed it as he hurried across the room toward the door. There was a shuttle waiting just off the crumbling west wing. He intended to be on it before anyone realized Shepard was gone.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>It had taken Jane quite some time to return to the landing platform after seeing the turian tear through the soldiers so viciously. A couple of months, in truth. She hadn’t expected to see Shane walking purposefully into the hospital when she did. The expectation was that he would have already tried to play the hand he thought he was holding long before now. It was surprising that he’d waited so long. Then again, she realized the media had to die down a little with the news feeds regarding Shepard’s survival. By the way he glanced behind him, she was fairly certain he thought no one saw him. The early afternoon sun glinted off his shoes as he hurried inside.</p>
<p>Jane wasted no time in following him. The tactical cloak allowed her to pass unseen. He didn’t bother to stop and ask where Shepard was. Instead, he made his way down the hall to the elevator. She had to hurry to catch up and tuck herself into the far corner.</p>
<p>When he stepped off the elevator on the third floor and moved off purposefully to the right, she was certain he knew exactly where he was going. There were no guards. As a matter of fact, she didn’t think there was anyone else on the entire floor.</p>
<p>Shane stopped before the one functioning door and peered in through the glass panels. Jane got as close as she dared to glance inside as well. She saw the turian heading into a small room off to the left that must be the bathroom. Shepard was propped up in the bed looking pale and small.</p>
<p>Her unwitting escort keyed the door open and stepped inside then. She followed close on his heels and stepped toward the now closed bathroom door. Shane walked over to the other side of the bed and made sure he had everything still connected to the woman before he lifted her.</p>
<p>Jane banged on the door and shouted, her tactical cloak phasing slightly with each impact. “Get out here! Shane’s taking Shepard!”</p>
<p>She’d barely stepped aside when the door banged open. The Carnifex pistol preceded him through the doorway, aimed directly at Shane’s head. The turian didn’t glance at her, he never took his eyes off his target.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“Crap…” Garrus growled and yanked the strap back through the buckle over his right hip. It was barely holding his pants closed when he drew his Carnifex pistol and rushed through the door. His voice was a deep resonate growl. “Put her down… <em>nice</em>… and <em>easy</em>.”</p>
<p>“You’re not gonna <em>shoot</em> me. You might hit <em>her</em>.” Shane snapped with a smug look.</p>
<p>“I <em>never</em> miss.” the turian rumbled coldly as he shifted his position and stepped out into the room.</p>
<p>“Care to bet her life on that?” Shane all but purred.</p>
<p>“Put her down… and <em>leave</em>…. And <em>maybe</em> I won’t kill you.” there was no mistaking the warning growl that snarled through his sub-harmonics.</p>
<p>“I’d do what he says, Shane. He doesn’t look like he’s playing games.” Jane said quietly as she dropped the cloak completely.</p>
<p>“Fucking <em>clone!</em> I should have <em>ended</em> you back on Minuteman. You’re a thorn in my side.” Shane snarled at her.</p>
<p>The turian didn’t waste any time trying to locate the source of the female voice. Instead, he took careful aim at the center of Shane’s forehead… and hesitated. <em>I shoot him, he drops her when he hits the floor… could be a bad fall. Can’t risk it.</em> It was barely a second and Shane bolted out the door and headed toward the crumbling western wing. <em>Damn tactical cloaks. Thought those were disabled by the Crucible wave. Sounds too much like her.... Has to be another clone</em>.</p>
<p>Garrus took off like a shot after the human, his feet thumping hard as he ran for the shuttle waiting at the end of the open hallway. Shane was pulling away from him faster than he’d thought the man could. With that in mind, he pushed his body as hard as he could. Right leg screaming, he ignored it and pushed just a little harder.</p>
<p>“<em>Dammit!</em>” he snarled viciously when he saw Shane hand his mate up to someone in a shuttle. He was close, almost close enough to smell them when Shane climbed in and closed the hatch. <em>Can’t fire on the shuttle. Too many variables. Too much risk to my family</em>.</p>
<p>Three steps from launching himself at the shuttle, it took off out of his reach. A guttural howl of rage ripped from his chest at the failure. His breath heaved in rage and grief as he paced there for several seconds. He caught the shimmer of the tactical cloak out of the corner of his eye then and snatched the smaller human up by the throat. The turian rushed toward the wall, pressing the human against it roughly.</p>
<p>“You <em>know</em> something.” he growled, his grip just tight enough around their throat to ensure they couldn’t wiggle free. “And I want to know what.”</p>
<p>“<em>Don’t kill the messenger</em>.” it was little more than a whisper a few seconds before the woman dropped the cloak.</p>
<p>“<em>Spirits!</em> How many of you are there?” Garrus growled, glaring at what could only be another clone of his mate. Her hair was short and one eye seemed a little lighter than the other.</p>
<p>“Just me… I’m the last.” she whispered with a shake of her head.</p>
<p>Loosening his grip just a fraction, he still didn’t let her go. He wasn’t sure he could trust her. After all, the last clone had tried to kill them all. “Where’s he taking her?”</p>
<p>“The CAT6 compound. I’ve been tailing him for weeks, tapped into his transmissions…” the clone gave up the information a little too easily, but he nodded all the same.</p>
<p>“What’s he want with her?” Garrus finally asked, reigning in his temper enough to realize this clone might prove useful.</p>
<p>“Her Spectre codes… or he did a few months ago… when he thought I’d pose as her. Now… he just wants to terminate the twins. Thinks they’re a danger to humanity on an evolutionary scale.” she explained, her hand still gripping his wrist.</p>
<p>The disclosure of the true nature of his mate’s pregnancy caused him to suck in a breath sharply. His grip on the clone released in shock and he staggered slightly, looking down at the floor. When she just stood there, he glanced back at her thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“You’re not gonna run… or try to kill me?” he asked, the shock of the last revelation still reverberating through his sub-harmonics.</p>
<p>“You scare the hell out of me, but that’s not enough to want you dead.” the clone breathed, her eyes wide and locked on his face. She pointed off toward the direction the shuttle had taken. “Him… I want dead. There’s only so much crazy the galaxy can hold.”</p>
<p>“What about my family? Why help me?” Garrus asked numbly.</p>
<p>“I’d like to think Shepard has at least one ‘sibling’ that isn’t a raving lunatic.” the clone said, head held high with a defiant expression on her face.</p>
<p>“Alright… I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt… for now.” Garrus let out a frustrated breath and holstered his pistol. “Any idea where this compound is?”</p>
<p>The clone opened her omni-tool and drew up a map of the city. She zoomed in on something that looked like some kind of warehouse. “It's in this area… maybe five miles to the west of our location.”</p>
<p>Garrus nodded as she sent him the NavPoint. He glanced at her with a frown then. “What do I call you? I’m not comfortably calling you…”</p>
<p>She held a hand up to stop him then. “I’m not Shepard. I don’t have any intention of assuming her identity. I’m Jane.”</p>
<p>“Huh…” he grunted and eyed her for a moment. Then, with a nod, he glanced off toward their destination. “Borrowed her middle name… Jane it is.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Tracking Strategies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nihlus has managed to convince the new Primarch to meet him on Earth One with the knowledge that he can track the commander. Garrus is anything but happy to be 'abandoning' the search for Shepard, even if only for an hour.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nihlus had been tracking the new Primarch’s movements since he’d reached Earth. He made sure there was a guard detail of some kind near him at all times. Vakarian wouldn’t like it when he found out, but he’d deal with that later. The important thing was keeping him safe. That also meant keeping Shepard safe as well. He’d been shocked to hear the rumors of her pregnancy. To have Mordin confirm that it was, indeed, a hybrid pregnancy had left him speechless for over an hour.</p>
<p>The guard detail he’d set on Shepard’s room had been running interference between the hospital staff once that little detail was confirmed. They’d made sure everything brought to her for injection or consumption was a mix of levo and dextro proteins. That was according to Mordin’s orders. The salarian couldn’t be there to personally oversee the health of Shepard’s pregnancy, but he’d left instructions.</p>
<p>Nihlus wasn’t sure exactly what had happened or how Shane had slipped past the guards, but he meant to find out. There was no excuse for that sort of lapse. It had cost them Shepard’s safety and that of her child. <em>Her twins</em>, he corrected himself as he stopped a few feet opposite the airlock. He still couldn’t wrap his head around that idea.</p>
<p>Now he stood waiting on the shuttle to dock with the station. Vakarian had outright refused his call a few times. Nihlus had been forced to send him an encrypted message to even get him to listen to reason. It had nearly taken an act of the spirits themselves to get the male on the shuttle. It was understandable that he wouldn’t want to leave Earth with his mate missing. Nihlus had barely hinted at the idea he could find Shepard, but he’d been reluctant to disclose how over the comms. That was what had finally got the Primarch onto the shuttle.</p>
<p>When the airlock opened, Vakarian stood there glaring at the interior of the station, his dark blue and black armor dully reflecting the light. His eyes found and narrowed on the Spectre after a few seconds as Nihlus stepped out of the shadows.</p>
<p>“You said you had information?” Vakarian growled, his sub-harmonics expressing his distress as well as his outrage at being called away from the hunt for his mate.</p>
<p>“The halls have ears, Primarch Vakarian. If you’ll follow me.” Nihlus indicated the hallway to his left.</p>
<p>“It’s just Garrus.” Vakarian grumbled with a nod.</p>
<p>Nihlus simply tilted his head to the side slightly with a nod of his own before his eyes narrowed on the woman stepping out of the airlock behind Vakarian. The Primarch must have noticed and waved a hand vaguely in her direction. “This is Jane. She’s the last of Shepard’s clones.”</p>
<p>“And what is she doing here?” Nihlus asked, attempting to maintain a casual tone.</p>
<p>“She tried to prevent my mate from being removed from her room.” Vakarian said simply. “She thinks she knows where Shepard’s been taken.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure you can trust her?” Nihlus asked.</p>
<p>“You know… I’m standing right here, you spiky bastards.” Jane snapped, an expression of indignation plastered across her face.</p>
<p>Nihlus snorted at that and nodded. “I like her. She’s not the commander, but she’s certainly a Shepard.”</p>
<p>With a nod to Jane, he led them toward Anderson’s office. The Primarch’s family had the good sense to wait until they’d closed the door behind them before they rushed to the younger turian. The Spectre stepped aside and crossed his arms, glancing at the smug look on Anderson’s face. He noted Jane taking a position near the door and out of the way with her hands clasped behind her back. <em>So much like Shepard… What other traits might have carried over?</em> Nihlus wondered with a thoughtful frown.</p>
<p>Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Solana briefly resting her forehead against her brother’s before wrapping him in a crushing hug. She clung to him for several long moments, her soft keening the only indication that she was still breathing. When she finally released him, she ran a hand gently over his unscarred cheekbone.</p>
<p>“I thought we’d never see you again, baby quill. Why didn’t you contact us, let us know you were on the Normandy when it docked? You could have <em>told </em>us you were on Earth!” Solana went from happy to see her brother to outraged in less than five seconds.</p>
<p>“Solana…” Castis said in a warning tone.</p>
<p>“He’s an idiot, dad. You know I’m right.” Sol glanced over her shoulder at their father and growled, her sub-harmonics positively disgraceful.</p>
<p>“That may be true, but… he <em>is</em> the Primarch of Palaven now. We owe him a measure of respect… if not for that, then his role in our very survival.” Castis said, his head held high as he regarded his son. Nihlus noticed the slightest flaring of his mandibles betraying the pride in his face as he clamped a hand to his son’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“And <em>you!</em>” Solana turned on Anderson then, a faint keen barely held at bay rising through her sub-harmonics. “You could have told us he was here. You should have told us the second he stepped off the Normandy.”</p>
<p>“Leave him be, Sol. It’s not his fault. Hackett sent an armed contingent of guards to escort us directly to the empty office next door to his. He’d kept everything quiet until we were dropped off on the surface.” Garrus rumbled quietly, drawing his sister’s attention away from Earth’s counselor.</p>
<p>Solana’s attention finally turned to Nihlus and he stood a little straighter under her piercing gaze. Finally, she asked, “Did you know?”</p>
<p>“I did,” he answered simply.</p>
<p>“And you kept us in the dark?” she breathed in utter shock seconds before the shout of rage ripped out of her. “I <em>trusted</em> you! You’ve known all this time and you didn’t bother to tell us!”</p>
<p>“I would hope you still trust me. This was not done out of malice. I kept my silence for your protection,” Nihlus said quietly, staring straight into her eyes.</p>
<p>“You said you could locate Shepard… how?” Garrus cut in, his sub-harmonics rumbling soothingly at his sister as he put a hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Your data storage tags… I added a tracer to each of them while you were on shore leave,” Nihlus explained with a smug look on his face.</p>
<p>“But… we… never take them off.” Garrus frowned at him.</p>
<p>“You did. Just once.” Nihlus rumbled with a faint chuckle.</p>
<p>“The arena…” Garrus breathed in sudden understanding. “The clerk said they could be wiped if they interfered with the scoreboard. Damn… <em>you </em>were the clerk.”</p>
<p>“I was,” Nihlus said with a flick of his mandibles.</p>
<p>“And that’s why the Spectre has kept us close to him, little one. He can’t track us and therefore cannot keep us safe.” Castis reasoned from behind his children.</p>
<p>“It still doesn’t explain why he didn’t tell us Garrus was here,” Sol growled.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t have stayed close to him. You would have come looking for me.” Garrus said, locking eyes with his sister. “You know I’m right.”</p>
<p>“I might have been willing to stay if I knew you were safe,” Sol said indignantly.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t.” Garrus shook his head with a sigh. “You’re not bonded to him.”</p>
<p>Nihlus couldn’t prevent his mandibles from pulling in tight to his face at that. He wanted to bond with her, but he’d held back. The war had twisted all of their emotions up so tight, he needed to be absolutely sure it was what they both wanted. He needed her to see him as the Spectre <em>and</em> the turian. Not just one or the other. She needed to see exactly what he was capable of doing to ensure the mission was accomplished. They worked well in combat and they worked well as a couple, but there was more he needed to be sure of.</p>
<p>“Garrus is right. You would have gone to the surface in search of him. It wouldn’t have been hard to find him, but you would have put yourself at risk. And, in so doing, you could have risked your brother’s life as well. As Primarch, he can ill afford such risks.” Nihlus explained and held up a hand as her mouth opened in the beginning of a protest. “I know that would not have been your intent, but the enemy doesn’t care if your intentions are good or not. They will simply see an opening.”</p>
<p>“I… didn’t think of it that way.” Solana shook her head and looked down at her feet.</p>
<p>“I’m here now and I’m safe, but… Shepard’s out there in the hands of a madman…” Garrus rumbled in distress and looked to Nihlus again. “Bringing her home safe is the only thing on my mind right now. I have to go after her.”</p>
<p>“Then I’ll be coming with you.” Nihlus agreed and opened his omni-tool. “You’ll need my tracking software and the code from Shepard’s tag anyway.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus nodded and stepped over to the Spectre. In another time, he might have been ready to hand the turian his head for overstepping his bounds. Now he was grateful the male had had the foresight they hadn’t. <em>It doesn’t matter how or why, just so long as it works. It </em><em><span class="u">has</span></em> <em>to work. I need her back safe and sound in my arms. Spirits… will this nightmare ever end? I’ve lost her too many times already. When do we get our life… our retirement together… our family?</em></p>
<p>There were no answers to those desperate questions yet and he knew it. He suppressed a growl at the thought of losing her now when they were so very close to turning their dreams of retirement and family into reality. Shane was all that stood in his way. That one human might have turned his view of them all sour if not for Shepard. <em>I mean to carve every hateful word Shane brings to my mind straight into his skull… with my bare talons. Your hours are numbered. I’m coming for you, Shane. You’re about to meet Archangel and you’ll be </em><em><span class="u">alive</span></em> <em>when I start carving.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Complications</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shepard is reeling at the implications of what Shane might have done.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard had drifted off into a sound sleep after Garrus had finally regained control of his emotions. She understood and held him through the storm, murmuring soothing encouragement as he had done for her so often throughout the entire war. As long as they’d been together, she’d never seen him break down quite like that. She’d heard a faint keening note here or there, but never a full onslaught. What turians called keening reminded her of the mournful cries of a lost humpback whale. There were so many more layers to it that were lost to the limits of her hearing, but she could feel the vibrations.</p>
<p>When he finally grew quiet and curled around her with his hand spread across her rounded belly, she’d begun to drift. Her body wanted sleep even though her mind wanted to remain awake. As she lay in his arms, her body won the war. She was vaguely aware of him getting up and murmuring something about too much kava.</p>
<p>Garrus hadn’t been gone long when a pair of strong arms lifted her out of the bed. She struggled toward the waking world, but her body refused. This wasn’t like waking from the coma and clawing her way back to her mate. This was simple exhaustion and it had held her in its embrace.</p>
<p>Shepard heard them, but was unable to respond. Her pregnancy heightened sense of smell was overwhelmed with her twin’s scent. <em>Shane! Oh god! What does he want?</em> The thoughts raged through her mind as she struggled to wake up. She heard the exchange between Shane and Garrus. It was a heated exchange that Shane won because the deck was stacked.</p>
<p>Garrus would have pulled the trigger with her in the enemy’s arms under different circumstances. She’d drilled it into his head, when she first met him, that endangering the lives of innocents to get the job done wasn’t acceptable. He lived by the turian code of honor whether he wanted to admit it or not. The twins were the very definition of innocent lives. He wouldn’t risk them even if he had to chase her brother to the ends of the universe to ensure her safety.</p>
<p>Shepard tried to pull herself to alertness through the entire run to the shuttle. She knew Shane was running, she heard the pounding of his feet on the crumbling tile. When he handed her up into the waiting shuttle, she moaned softly and frowned. She was closer to wakefulness, but not close enough to make a difference. She heard Garrus’ ragged howl of impotent rage at being unable to catch her brother. <em>He’s never failed to outrun a human before. What’s changed?</em></p>
<p>“You’re sure she’s in a coma?” Chloe’s voice drifted to her as the shuttle took off toward their destination.</p>
<p>“According to the hospital records, she hasn’t regained consciousness yet.” Shane grumbled and she heard the creak of a personnel strap. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Because according to her brain waves, she’s awake.” Chloe said and Shepard heard the buzz of an omni-tool near her head. “Medical grade omni-tools can read that kind of thing.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck!</em> That complicates things.” Shane growled, his tone one of angry denial. “You’re sure? I mean… she hasn’t opened her eyes. I know my twin. If she was awake, she’d be raging at us.”</p>
<p>“Her brain waves indicate sleep, but she’s in a waking state. I think you’ll have that rage very soon.” Chloe said quietly.</p>
<p>“<em>Dammit!</em>” Shane snapped and she heard the telltale sound of shoes squeaking on metal deck plates as he stepped closer. He must have squatted then because his voice sounded so much closer when he spoke again. “If you’re awake, you know we’re doing you a favor by aborting these skullfaced monsters of his.”</p>
<p>Shepard moaned at that. Her lips stuck together and it came out a muffled ‘no’. She frowned trying to force her eyes open when she felt the cuffs snap around her wrists. Her head lifted from her chest and thumped against the headrest behind her. <em>Wake up! You have to wake up!</em> Her eyes felt glued shut.</p>
<p>Shane’s hand gently gripping her jaw was the catalyst that forced her eyes to finally open. She glared at him then, but her voice refused to work for the moment.</p>
<p>“So you <em>are</em> still in there. Good to know. You’ll only have to put up with this,” and he touched her swollen belly in indication. “a few more hours, sis.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck you…</em>” it was hoarse, breathy snap, but she managed it.</p>
<p>“I keep telling you… that’s incest.” Shane huffed a laugh at that.</p>
<p>“Hurt my children and I will <em>personally</em> end you.” she ground out through gritted teeth. “<em>After</em> I let my <em>husband</em> peel your face off with his <em>bare hands</em>.”</p>
<p>“The skullface brainwashed you, sis, but it’ll be ok. He can’t get to you now.” Shane said as if he were speaking to a small child. “We’ll take care of him. You’ll never have to worry about him again.”</p>
<p>A sense of dread crept straight through to the core of her being at the menace in his words. Horror twisted her features as the possibilities rolled across her mind. The question was barely a breath above a whisper of anxiety. “<em>What have you done?</em>”</p>
<p>“What needed done… for all of those turian bastards.” Shane growled with a sadistic smile on his face. “After all, an army marches on its stomach. If the food’s tainted… they’re not marching. As a matter of fact, they’ll be dying off in droves.”</p>
<p>“<em>Oh my god! I’m gonna tear you apart myself!</em>” Shepard raged and struggled to get free of the harness that had her pinned to the seat. She grasped her biotics intent on frying him where he stood… and nothing happened. Her body was encased in the glow, but she couldn’t trigger a single spark.</p>
<p>“At least your pregnancy has <em>some</em> benefits, I see. We don’t need the biotic dampeners to control that sort of outburst.” Shane chuckled as he straightened and took a step toward the hatch.</p>
<p>“You’re <em>not</em> a Shepard. You’re a <em>monster!</em>” she snapped.</p>
<p>“You’re right about one thing. I’m not a Shepard. The name didn’t fit so… I took mom’s.” he shrugged as he stepped back toward her. “Now, you can make this easy… or you can make it hard. You’re choice. I don’t really care one way or the other. This <em>is</em> happening.”</p>
<p>“<em>Go to hell!</em>” she snarled at him as he reached for her. “You’re not <em>touching us!</em>”</p>
<p>“Well… that really does remain to be seen, now doesn’t it?” Shane growled and yanked her up to her feet by her bound wrists the second he released the harness.</p>
<p>Shepard gasped and staggered into him when the metal connected to her right leg bit into the healing base of her mid-thigh. It held, but it hurt, sending stabbing fire all the way to her hip.</p>
<p>“A pitty your little stunt with the Crucible wiped out the Reapers and their tech. That might have been replaced with organic tissue before you woke up.” Shane purred as he glanced down at the smokey gray metal of the turian designed prosthetic. “They couldn’t even go with a human design….”</p>
<p>“You can’t do this, Shane. These babies are your blood.” Shepard tried to reason with him as he hauled her out of the shuttle.</p>
<p>“Those little abominations are no relation to me. I doubt they’re even genetically related to you. You’re just his incubator. They’ve done something to you. That’s the only reasonable explanation. Turians and humans are <em>not</em> genetically compatible… by any stretch of the word. It’s like birds and fish trying to breed.” Shane growled as he forced her to keep up with him.</p>
<p>It was a struggle to keep up. He forced her through a crash course in using that artificial leg as she stumbled along in his grip. She was forced to rely on him for support and she hated herself for it. It grew easier with every step, however. The limb functioned much like her normal leg had, but the slightly wider base of the foot provided more balance.</p>
<p>By the time they entered the building, she was no longer struggling to maintain her footing. Instead, she was fighting him to release her. He kept a firm grip on her bound wrists until she twisted his hand between them.</p>
<p>Shane let out a pained yell and shoved her then. He must have expected her to fall and do the job for him, but she managed to catch her balance. There was barely a split second between that realization and Shepard taking off into a dead run away from him.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck!</em>” Shane raged and she heard his feet slapping the cement behind her.</p>
<p>Shepard prayed to any deity that might be listening that she could manage this mad dash long enough to escape him. She bolted around a corner looking for a place to hide. There was no way she could safely continue running. If she found a hiding place, she might be able to take him out the second he got close enough.</p>
<p>The hallway was long. There were storage crates and doorways all along it to either side. She realized this must be some kind of warehouse as she darted behind a tall stack of crates. It didn’t matter what it was. Without an omni-tool, she wasn’t contacting anyone for help. The only thing she had with her was the small disk of her data storage tag. It clicked softly against her dog tags as she tried to catch her breath.</p>
<p>Shane came around the corner at a much slower pace. “You can’t hide in here forever, sis. We’ll find you… eventually.”</p>
<p>Shepard tucked herself tightly between the crate and wall near an open doorway. She hoped he’d walk by her and she might be able to catch him by surprise. There were a number of things on the floor she could use as weapons. Most of them would result in blunt force injuries. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to inflict a fatal blow.</p>
<p>A muffled squeak escaped her the moment a pair of rough human hands grabbed her from behind. One hand clamped firmly over her mouth before she was hauled through that open doorway behind her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. A Rock and a Hard Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shepard finds herself with an unexpected ally while Garrus is impatiently rushing to her aid.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>For fuck’s sake, Shepard! Bloody well calm down!</em>” Zaeed snarled quietly near her ear as the commander struggled in his grip. “You’re gonna bring that bastard down on us!”</p>
<p>The commander froze the instant she recognized his voice and he drew her deeper into the darkened room with him. He released his hold over her mouth now that he was sure she wasn’t going to scream. They watched Shane jog past with the red-headed doctor right behind him. The pair never noticed them.</p>
<p>When Shepard turned to glare at him, he took note of the changes to her appearance. The scars he’d seen on some of the vids when she’d first been brought back to London were nowhere near as angry looking now. Her head was covered in fuzz and he was glad to see that. He’d never tell her, but she looked horrid without hair. Then he noted the swell of her belly and his brows raised as his lips puckered in a silent whistle.</p>
<p>“Well now... <em>that’s</em> new. You keepin’ company with somethin’ other than bird-boy?” Zaeed gestured toward her abdomen.</p>
<p>“Not that it’s any of your business, Zaeed… but no. Garrus is the father,” Shepard growled softly.</p>
<p>“Well… fuck me runnin’ backwards…. <em>How?</em>'' Then he held up his hands and shook his head. “No, don’t answer that. I don’t wanna know. Let’s just get you out of here.”</p>
<p>“Like I’m gonna trust you after the stunt you pulled with that refinery.” she snapped quietly, clearly still mindful of the peril she was in.</p>
<p>“Look… trust me, don’t trust me. I don’t give a damn. Your boy Nihlus sent me to infiltrate this bunch, dig up intel on that asshole brother of yours. Guess he didn’t count on the idiot draggin’ you here.” Zaeed headed off toward the other side of the room and was glad to see her follow. “Contacted me an hour ago. Told me to keep an eye out for you. Lucky for you, I was still in the compound.”</p>
<p>Zaeed didn’t bother to see where she was while he dug through a couple of crates. He found something he thought might fit her and handed it back to her. Then he continued digging through another crate. He didn’t pay attention to her as she slipped in behind a stack of crates to dress.</p>
<p>“This thing looks like a tent,” she grumbled.</p>
<p>“Just shut up and put it on. You got no time to be picky. That belly of yours ain’t gonna fit in armor.” he barked and held a Carnifex out to her. He grumbled under his breath, sure she couldn’t hear him. “Look like a fuckin’ broodmare.”</p>
<p>“Fuck you…” she snapped, but there was no real bite in it as she took the pistol and looked it over, checking the heat sync.</p>
<p>Zaeed chuckled and shook his head. He wasn’t sure if she’d heard that last and honestly, he didn’t care. “Damn, Shepard… never thought I’d be bailin’ your ass out of this kinda trouble.”</p>
<p>“You got a way out of here?” she asked once she'd rummaged around for a couple of spare heat syncs.</p>
<p>“That mate of yours is a tickin’ time bomb. The Spectre said he couldn’t keep him off the shuttle. Looks like they’re <em>both</em> comin’ to this little party.” Zaeed said, glancing back at her now with a nod of approval. “Looks better than your ass hangin’ out of a hospital gown.”</p>
<p>“It’s not my armor, but it’ll do.” Shepard agreed with a sigh. She locked eyes with him for a moment, before glancing back toward the doorway. “Garrus... isn’t himself right now.”</p>
<p>“Yeah… Archangel’s on the warpath again. Damn turian’s crazy as a fucking rabid varren. Had to watch my back on Omega while I was there. Steered clear o’ him as much as possible back then. Tried to kill me a couple times when he caught me close to the Blue Suns.” Zaeed breathed a faint chuckle at that and searched her face for a moment. “You’re just as crazy as he is for jumpin’ in the sack with him.”</p>
<p>“Let’s just… get out of here before Shane finds us,” Shepard growled, her eyes narrowed as the pistol in her hand waved at him.</p>
<p>“Alright then, come on.” Zaeed motioned with his head toward the crates she’d ducked behind and headed off in that direction.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus paced the shuttle. He couldn’t think straight as he fought down the boiling anger. He kept glancing at the monitor mounted on the bulkhead hoping to see the compound come into sight. Nihlus had asked him to take a seat more than once, but he’d ignored him. The heat sync in his rifle was fine, he knew that, but he couldn’t stop himself from checking it again. When he finally slung it across his back, he pulled his pistol free of its holster and checked it over as well. It was a good habit to get into, but he’d become obsessive with it over the last half an hour.</p>
<p>“You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor, boy! Sit down… or at least stand still… five seconds.” Nana snapped with a glare.</p>
<p>Garrus shook his head and clamped his hand over the top of his pistol. “I can’t. I just got her back… and that <em>bastard</em> just walked in and took her.”</p>
<p>“Zaeed has her. She’s armed.” Nihlus said from the rear bench seat. “This should be an easy retrieval unless they’re caught.”</p>
<p>“Nothing is ever that easy,” Garrus growled thinking back on a number of missions that hadn’t gone quite as planned. There were too many ways this whole thing could go sideways and he knew it. None of them were scenarios he wanted to entertain. Every one of them marched across the silver screen of his mind. He thumped on the wall between them and the pilot then. “Fly this thing faster…”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t <em>go</em> any faster, Garrus. You know that.” Cortez grumbled at him.</p>
<p>“Primarch…” Nihlus began and halted at the look he received.</p>
<p>“Just call me Garrus, dammit. I didn’t ask for that title.” Garrus barely reigned in the snarl.</p>
<p>“Nevertheless, you <em>are</em> Primarch, but… we can dispense with titles if you wish.” Nihlus nodded thoughtfully before continuing. “Your mate is a skilled soldier. I have no doubts she will it make out the other side of this scenario.”</p>
<p>“You seem to forget… my mate is <em>pregnant</em>. Her biotics should be nullified by hormonal changes... Nature’s way of ensuring the chicks aren’t genetically damaged.” Garrus couldn’t keep the snarl out of his sub-harmonics at that.</p>
<p>Nihlus released a sigh and nodded before running a hand over the steel plate secured to his skull. “Yes, of course… Still, Zaeed has given her a weapon and I’ve seen her skill with a pistol. I have faith that she will leave smoking holes in anyone who stands between the two of you.”</p>
<p>Garrus rumbled, a noncommittal grunt escaping him as he glanced up at that monitor once more. He sucked in an anxious breath as the compound came into view. His grip on the pistol tightened to a painful level and his fingers cracked.</p>
<p>It was Nana who encouraged him to loosen his grip by laying a hand over his. He looked down at the elder asari then. The look he knew she must have seen on his face would have terrified small children. She stood her ground and squeezed his hand gently.</p>
<p>“You’re mate’s strong. You’ll see her again… and soon, I think,” Nana said softly.</p>
<p>He didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he released a deep rumbling breath and nodded in an effort to control the desire to leap out of the shuttle the second it was close to ground level. <em>If you rush in half-cocked, you could get yourself killed… or worse… you could get her killed</em>. That was the thought he kept chewing on as the compound grew closer.</p>
<p>Finally, the moment came when Cortez dropped the shuttle roughly a mile from the place. He landed on a smooth patch in a crumbling road tucked between two large buildings that were mostly intact. Garrus was the first one out wondering if Nihlus meant for them to make their way into the compound on foot. He glared at the red plated turian as the male stepped past him. When the male opened his omni-tool and tapped a few keys, he shook his head in irritation. A moment later, a large section of space shimmered as a tactical cloak dissolved revealing a vehicle.</p>
<p>“It had to be a Mako,” Garrus grumbled, his missing leg spur aching at the sight. His next breath was practically a purr of appreciations, however. “When… did we develop that kind of cloak?”</p>
<p>“It’s been in development for a couple of years. We never got the chance to deploy it.” Nihlus said and opened the Mako’s hatch. “Let’s… go get your mate.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Zaeed led her through a door she hadn’t seen behind those crates. She hurried along behind him, her right leg aching where it ended in the cup of the prosthetic. It could have been so much worse, she realized. The hospital staff could have left the thing off until she’d awakened. Instead, they’d clearly inserted the contacts that allowed the servos in both the knee and ankle to respond intuitively to her movements. That intuitive action was fueled by her nervous system.</p>
<p>Shepard set aside the analysis of how the thing worked and simply thanked whoever had the presence of mind to attach it mentally. If there was time later, she’d thank them personally. For now, she meant to work with what she had.</p>
<p>“You still haven’t told me how we’re getting out of here,” she grumbled as she drew up beside him and pressed her back to the opposite door frame leading into the next hallway.</p>
<p>“I thought we’d improvise. That’s what you’re good at,” Zaeed said quietly as he peeked around the corner.</p>
<p>“In case you hadn’t noticed, my biotics are burned out,” the commander snapped at him in an almost deadly tone.</p>
<p>“Your amp’s missin’ and you’re pregnant.” Zaeed began before he motioned for her to follow as he darted out of cover and jogged across the hall. The second he tucked himself behind another stack of crates he locked eyes with her. “Normal among female biotics. That little bugger’s actin’ as a natural dampener to protect itself.”</p>
<p>Understanding dawned at his words. She hadn’t thought of it like that. The commander had just assumed she’d burned herself out during the push to the Crucible. In many ways, it was a relief to realize her abilities would come back.</p>
<p>“Well, well, well….” came a voice that sent a shiver of dread up her spine. “Zaeed Masani. I thought you were dead, old man.”</p>
<p>“Not as dead as you’re about to be.” Zaeed snarled as he turned to fire on Shane.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Shane snapped, wrapping them both in a biotic barrier. “My sister should have left you on Zorya to die.”</p>
<p>“She <em>did</em> leave me on Zorya, but she made sure I lived to <em>regret</em> the mistakes I made there.” Zaeed snarled, struggling against the barrier around him.</p>
<p>“Too bad you won’t get to redeem yourself,” Shane growled and threw Zaeed out of the hallway and into the larger room</p>
<p>Shepard gasped when she saw the older man hit something midway up the wall. He hung there like a limp coat on a hook, blood pouring from a jagged pipe protruding from his chest. There was no question in her mind that the man was dead.</p>
<p>“You’re gonna pay for that, Shane.” she ground out at him through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>“Again… I don’t think so.” her brother simply gave her a greasy smile and directed Chloe toward her. “Hit her with the sedative and shut her up.”</p>
<p>“I should have shot you myself when Fist’s men were swarming your clinic.” Shepard locked eyes with the woman as she approached.</p>
<p>“But you didn’t.” Chloe breathed a chuckle.</p>
<p>Mere heartbeats before the woman reached her, the entire compound shook with the booming sound of an explosion. The psychopathic doctor dropped the syringe as she staggered. Shane lost his hold on the biotic field out of shock as much as an inability to maintain his balance.</p>
<p>The second her brother’s biotic grip dropped, Shepard raised her gun and fired off a rapid succession of shots as she darted toward Zaeed and the larger room. She barely caught sight of the doctor dropping to the floor as she rounded the corner.</p>
<p>“You can’t prevent the inevitable, dear sister! I will rid the galaxy of the threat those little abominations you’re carrying represent….” Shane yelled as he charged after her. “Even if I have to rip them out of you with my bare hands!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Archangel’s Revenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Archangel is off the hook and gunning for those who would threaten his mate and unborn chicks.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t you think this is a little extreme?” Nihlus asked as Garrus set the charges.</p>
<p>“No. We’ve done everything shy of blowing this door off track. Nothing has worked so far.” Garrus growled as he stepped away from his work and hopped into a jog to duck behind the Mako.</p>
<p>“This could get your mate killed.” Nihlus reminded him.</p>
<p>“I’m finished trying to get <em>around</em> their security. It’s time we went through it.” Garrus shook his head just once as his brow plates drew together, deepening the crack between them. “He won’t kill her. He still wants something from her.”</p>
<p>The moment he was sure Nihlus and Natearus were clear, he triggered the explosives. The blast was bigger than he’d calculated, but then he wasn’t an explosives expert. It rocked the entire facility, blowing a hole in the wall big enough to drive the Mako through.</p>
<p>Before the dust had even settled, Natearus was charging through the opening, Nihlus hot on her heels. She glared back at him just once as he brought up the rear. He really didn’t care that this wasn’t the most subtle approach. The turian was done trying to restrain himself. <em>Archangel, that’s who I am. Time I stopped denying it. Embrace it and stop hiding from it</em>.</p>
<p>The second he heard gunfire a few yards away, his head snapped in that direction. There was a shout and the distinctive sound of a biotic blast. Garrus took cover the second he saw a cluster of soldiers coming their way. Natearus took care of them before he managed to fire off a single shot.</p>
<p>“That wasn’t Shepard’s biotics, boy,” Natearus said softly near his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I know. Has to be Shane’s.” Garrus growled and headed deeper into the facility.</p>
<p>There were more soldiers heading their way after a few minutes. Garrus lined up shots, quick, clean and precise just the way his father had taught him. Most were headshots and the men went down before they were even aware that they were dead.</p>
<p>Nihlus and Natearus took a few potshots here and there, but his reign of vengeance overshadowed their headcounts. He reminded himself a few times that these weren’t Reapers he was taking down. It didn’t matter. If it was moving, he killed it. They intended to harm his family. That was the only thing that seemed to register in his rage soaked mind.</p>
<p>Garrus slowed to a stop and stared at the man hanging by the pipe a few feet above him. Zaeed. Red blood trickled down the right side of his armor. The turians in the team crinkled their nose plates together at the heavy metallic scent. He was fairly certain the man was dead until he groaned.</p>
<p>“We have to get him down. He needs medical treatment.” Nihlus said and shoved a couple of crates against the wall.</p>
<p>“Do what you can for him. I’ve got a mission to finish.” Garrus nodded after a moment as he watched the older turian climb up to the human.</p>
<p>“Go with him, Natearus.” Nihlus motioned toward Garrus.</p>
<p>“No… I’ll move faster on my own. They’re not far now.” Garrus rumbled and popped his last heat sync from his rifle.</p>
<p>“I said that once on Eden Prime and Saren nearly killed me,” Nihlus grumbled as he looked for a way to pull the human off the pipe without killing him.</p>
<p>“This isn’t Saren and I’ve never trusted him.” Garrus knew it was a hard blow to the other male’s ego, but he couldn’t restrain his mouth or his opinion just then.</p>
<p>Nihlus gave him a hard look before nodding. “I’ll need your help here, after all, Natearus. I need the extra leverage... and perhaps your biotic skills... to pull him down.”</p>
<p>Garrus glanced down the hall that branched off from their position and spotted Dr. Michel sprawled in a pool of her own blood. She wasn’t moving. As he cautiously approached, he noticed her eyes were open and staring vacantly up at the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s one problem down,” he growled to himself.</p>
<p>It had to be Shepard’s handiwork. He recognized her pattern here. Her headshots tended to list toward the enemy’s left temple, directly above the eye orbit. It was a clean kill, no chance of survival from a round passing between the hemispheres of the brain.</p>
<p><em>She’s awake and alert… if she did this. Awake... and moving</em>. He glanced around for signs of which direction she’d taken. When he heard the distinctive crack, crack, crack of a Carnifex off to his left, he charged in that direction. <em>Doesn’t have her omni-tool… </em><em><span class="u">dammit!</span></em> He growled at himself when he started to tap the link.</p>
<p>It took him seconds to orient the moving sounds with the direction they were coming from. He took off like a shot through the open rooms between him and his target. His mandibles were pinned to his face in anger as he ran. When he spotted the man, they flared and dropped in outrage. As he stormed toward him, he threw off his gloves to ensure he was able to get the best leverage and grip on the man. Shane was pressed against the remnants of a door. He struggled to encase himself in biotic energy, but it flickered and evaporated.</p>
<p>Garrus didn’t give two shits if this man was struggling or not. He’d threatened the lives of his bondmate and their chicks. Eliminating that threat was all that mattered to him. He rushed forward and grabbed the man by the edge of his chest plate, digging his bare talons into it.</p>
<p>The turian had flashes of another human he’d pressed against a similar wall a few years ago. He slammed Shane into the wall, his forearm pressed hard into his throat. Cocking his head sideways slightly, he glared at the human before asking. “Where’s my mate, <em>asshole?</em>”</p>
<p>“Bitch is <em>killin’</em> off my men. I should have let Chloe finish what she started... sabotage her resurrection on Lazarus Station.” Shane sneered at the look that flickered across the turian’s face. “Maybe I should have done what Garn asked instead. Should have worked my way into <em>your</em> little team and slit your throat while you slept. You wouldn’t have <em>fucked</em> my sister then. At least... I didn’t have to bother with your team of idiots. Sidonis did that for me.”</p>
<p>Garrus bounced the human’s head against the wall with a satisfying thump. Shane just glared at him, a twisted smile spreading across his face. The turian thumped him again and though there was a flicker of pain across the man’s face, he laughed in Garrus’ face.</p>
<p>“Don’t like that, do ya?” Shane barked a laugh.</p>
<p>Ignoring the taunts and jabs, Garrus glared at him, his face mere inches from the human’s. “One more time….<em>Where is my mate?</em>”</p>
<p>“Hell… Chloe should have handed you over to Saleon with a gift-wrapped bow. He could have used you as a test subject. Might have saved me the trouble of putting you down now.” Shane just laughed in his face. “With a little luck… my dear sister is riddled with holes and spilling those little monsters of yours across the floor.”</p>
<p>The images the man’s words invoked nearly broke Garrus. He drove his knee up hard into Shane’s crotch with an outraged growl. When the man doubled over, he forced him to straighten, slamming the human against the wall harder. The impact was enough to leave a bloody spot where his head had made contact.</p>
<p>Shane yelped, it wasn’t enough. Images the turian didn’t want flooded his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut against them, powerless to quell them as he pressed the human against the wall. He slammed the man into the wall hard enough to crack bone with a grunt. The man sneered at him, his lip split from an impact with the turian’s forearm. He spit a mouthful of red blood at him, but refused to give him the piece of information Garrus desired most.</p>
<p>Before he wrapped his hands around the man’s head, he realized Shane might not actually know where Shepard was. He didn’t care if the man knew or not at this point. Eliminating the most immediate threat to his family was all that mattered. He clamped his hands down, his thumbs pressing into the other's eye, and began to squeeze.</p>
<p>The human screamed and writhed in his grip, clawing at his wrists even as he pushed his head against the wall for better leverage. He heard a crunch like an eggshell cracking and ignored it. This was what needed to be done.</p>
<p>“<em>Garrus…</em>”</p>
<p>Somehow he heard her over Shane’s screams. The sound of her voice drew his attention sharply to his right. His hands relaxed on the writhing man. He released Shane with a sense of sickened shock at his own actions and staggered back.</p>
<p>“<em>You fucking skullfaced bastard!</em>” Shane slurred and wiped at the blood running from his nose and eyes.</p>
<p>One second the man was swaying against the wall, the next, his pistol was aimed at Shepard and discharging. The shot went wild as the turian’s combat knife sank deep into his chest and thumped into the concrete wall behind him. Garrus didn’t blink, he didn’t react, he simply glared at the human dying on his blade.</p>
<p>Releasing the blade, he stepped back and squeezed his eyes shut. There was no sound from his bondmate. <em>The shot hit her, you know it did. Your world just flipped on its head. You just lost the most important thing in your life tonight</em>.</p>
<p>Garrus heard the scrape of metal against concrete, but didn’t open his eyes as his breath came in distressed bursts. He was at the end of his mental and emotional endurance. There was nothing left, no reserve to fall back on. One more trauma and he knew there would be no going back… ever.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shepard barely threw herself against the opposite wall as Shane’s shot went wild. She hadn’t been prepared to see her bondmate attempting to crush her brother’s skull. If she’d allowed him to finish the job, Shane wouldn’t have fired on her. She knew Garrus better than he knew himself though. He would have been haunted by that act… possibly for the rest of his life.</p>
<p>Now Shane slumped forward. He didn’t fall. He didn’t slide down the wall. He just hung there, impaled on the turian-made combat knife, dripping blood into a growing pool collecting around his feet. The combat knife her bondmate had slammed through him must have wedged tight in the wall, she realized. When Garrus released it and stepped back, she noticed he’d squeezed his eyes shut. His hands were doubled into tight fists and his breathing was anything but even. She knew those signs, she’d seen them a number of times. He was certain she’d been hit and might even be dead.</p>
<p>“Garrus,” she said softly and stepped toward him, her prosthetic scraping across the concrete floor. “It’s ok. We need to go.”</p>
<p>Shepard watched the turian’s expression contort at the sound of her voice. A frown drew his brow-plates together as his face remained tipped toward the floor. His eyes opened slowly and he glanced her way. That frown relaxed into a look of shocked relief as his mandibles and jaw dropped slightly. His brow-plates raised and he rushed toward her with a sharp intake of breath. She found herself locked in his arms for several long seconds before he got a grip on his emotions again.</p>
<p>“You alright?” he asked the second his hands cupped the sides of her face. He pressed his plated brow against her forehead in obvious relief before searching her face for evidence of pain or injury. When he glanced down at the prosthetic, he gestured toward it. “Can you manage?”</p>
<p>“I think I’ve got this. I’ve been running on it,” she said with a nod.</p>
<p>“Alright… let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this place.” Garrus rumbled as his eyes shot back toward Shane briefly. His next words were a murmured snarl. “He’s… uh… one less problem to worry about.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Hammerhead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shepard and Garrus make their way out of the CAT6 compound and head back toward what has become the current hub of galactic civilization.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard’s eyes followed his every move when Garrus stepped away from her. Her brows raised in mild surprise as he headed back toward Shane. She said nothing, opting to watch him instead. He glared at her brother, a nasty snarl ripping through his sub-harmonics as he took hold of the hilt of his combat knife. Pressing his hand against Shane’s shoulder, he jerked the blade free with a grunt. She heard the distinctive metallic pop of the blade snapping as it released.</p>
<p>Three quarters of the steel came free of her brother’s chest. He slid down the wall, leaving a bloody smear along the way. His body slumped over against that wall when he collapsed to the floor. She took note of the hole in the concrete he’d been pinned to and the end of the blade protruding from it. It must have ripped his upper back wide open as he slid off it, she realized. If he wasn’t already dead, he would be shortly.</p>
<p>When her brother’s eyes opened and rolled toward her, she pressed her lips into a hard line. Her Carnifex pistol aimed at his head without a second’s hesitation. Garrus had barely turned toward her when she pulled the trigger. Shane’s head jerked back against the wall before he slid into a heap, chin resting on his still chest.</p>
<p>“<em>Now</em> he’s dead.” Shepard growled and popped the spent heat sync.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Clearing out the rest of the CAT6 compound was child’s play. What remained of her right leg ached, but Shepard managed to keep up with her bondmate regardless. They were both slower now. Injuries, both new and old, had taken their toll on each of them. He limped ahead of her, favoring his own right leg and she noticed the knee seemed stiffer than she remembered. When he stopped to get his bearings, she realized the knee was in a near perpetually bent state and he didn’t stand flat on that foot.</p>
<p>Frowning at that, Shepard narrowed her eyes as she drew to a halt slowly beside him, looking him up and down. It was then that she noticed the black metal brace secured to his armor. She’d thought it was simply part of his gear at first glance. It struck her then that it had something to do with his injured spur. She didn’t know the extent of the injuries he’d received after that Mako ran him over. The determined look on his face as he hopped back into a jog toward their destination told her to leave it be for the time being. She’d ask him later, in private when they were finally able to settle in somewhere.</p>
<p>It didn’t take them long to make it to what she assumed was their way out. She stopped just inside the hole in the wall and let out a sharp whistle at the size. Glancing at the turian, she couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face.</p>
<p>“Miscalculation?” she asked simply and he gave her a sideways look.</p>
<p>Garrus growled in obvious frustration when they stepped out. He opened his omi-tool and sent off a quick message. It pinged a moment later and his growl deepened into a very faint snarl.</p>
<p>“Problem?” simple questions were best when he was in this state. She’d get the answers when he was ready.</p>
<p>“Zaeed’s in bad shape. They took the Mako back to the shuttle.” he grumbled, looking around them for another means of transportation.</p>
<p>“Damn… I thought he was dead.” she said incredulously.</p>
<p>Garrus gave her a non-commital grunt at that and frowned at the empty space just ahead of them. The hole in the fence beyond was about the size of a Mako. She didn’t see another of the rovers nearby and a sigh of resignation escaped her.</p>
<p>“So… we’re on foot.” Shepard finally voiced her concern as her turian looked off toward the facility’s ‘parking lot’.</p>
<p>“No.” he grumbled and limped off toward her right. The turian headed across the fenced in lot. It was shocking how little damage there was here.</p>
<p>“Oh… I <em>hate</em> those things.” Shepard groused as she saw what he was aiming for. There was a hammerhead parked a couple dozen feet from the building. “It’s like trying to steer a canoe sideways over white water rapids.”</p>
<p>“I don’t get it… What’s a canoe?” Garrus asked as he looked the vehicle over.</p>
<p>“It’s a boat.” Shepard answered and he shrugged. “It floats… on water.”</p>
<p>“Crap… You humans do some of the craziest things. But… I don’t see the comparison.” shaking his head, he opened the hatch and peered inside a moment later. “All clear.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t hear any complaints about humans being crazy people when I married you.” Shepard purred and ran a finger along the underside of his jawline as she passed him.</p>
<p>“<em>That</em>… wasn’t crazy… ma-kee-sa.” Garrus practically vibrated in near contentment as he followed her inside the hammerhead.</p>
<p>“I dunno… there are some who thought it was… less than sane.” she gave him the lopsided smile she reserved just for him and wiggled into the pilot’s seat with a sigh of frustration. “I remember these being a <em>little</em> more spacious.”</p>
<p>Garrus coughed and rubbed the back of his neck as he settled into the co-pilot’s seat beside her.</p>
<p>“Are you implying I’m fat, Vakarian? Because if you are…” she grumbled, the half smile on her face was a sure indication that she was teasing him. This was her way of breaking his tension on the fly.</p>
<p>“I… uh… I don’t know… Shepard. You’re… um…” and his mandibles flared as he created an imaginary belly in his lap with his hands.</p>
<p>“I feel like a whale… look like one too.” she groaned as she keyed in the ignition sequence.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what that is.” he said honestly as he went through his end of the ignition checklist.</p>
<p>“A really big sea animal… big as the Mako.” she glanced at him then and nodded. “And it’s <em>your </em>fault.”</p>
<p>“<em>Spirits</em>… Earth must be terrifying if there are animals in the water… <em>that big</em>…” he rumbled softly before glancing out the forward viewport. “What else is this planet hiding?”</p>
<p>“Not me, that’s for sure.” Shepard sighed in irritation then.</p>
<p>“Hmm… mood swings…” Garrus rumbled softly from his side of the cockpit. When he glanced at her, his mandibles flared slightly.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as she piloted the hammerhead. He made the occasional adjustment to their course, but nothing major. His senses told him she was there, but a deep seeded voice at the back of his mind kept rumbling that he was going to wake up any moment. When he did, he’d be back on the Normandy. Maybe he’d still be on that garden world. He figured he was probably so drunk he could barely remember his own name.</p>
<p>Scent was highly important to turians. It anchored them to the here and now. He hadn’t exactly hidden that from his bondmate, but he hadn’t gone out of his way to show her either. She might have been uncomfortable with him deeply inhaling her scent on their bedding during her nightly treks to the bathroom. It was her scent that eased the tightly coiled tension in his chest as he sat there scanning the terrain ahead of them.</p>
<p>There were differences in her scent now. Her pregnancy fascinated him. The sweet smell of new life growing within her was a curiosity. Her pheromones were stronger, intermingling with something else. The difference was subtle. It hinted at the sexes of the chicks and he frowned at the idea of twins. They were so rare among his species as to be almost a myth. He thought maybe another month would define their scent enough to distinguish their genders. It was then that he wondered just how long humans gestated their young. His own people gestated for eleven months, but he thought he’d heard somewhere that the number was somewhat less for humans.</p>
<p><em>Might be something to research</em>, he thought wryly as he tapped a couple of keys and implemented a slight course correction. He eyed her openly for a moment then and realized he’d never really been this close to a pregnant human before. <em>Spirits, she’s huge. She’ll split open if she gets much bigger</em>. That, of course, was not something he would ever tell her though. He was fairly certain she would reach down his throat and rip out his gizzard for that one. So he kept it to himself.</p>
<p>The hammerhead reached the place where his team had first landed the shuttle. The Mako was the only indication of recent activity in the area. He knew they must have taken Zaeed in for treatment. Part of him wondered if the man had made it. The primal part of him really didn’t care. He had what he’d come for. His mate was safe as were his chicks. That was all that really mattered to him right then.</p>
<p>“You think they’re coming back?” Shepard asked after several long moments of silence.</p>
<p>“No.” he answered simply. If they were smart, they’d stay in the refugee camp. He knew the shuttle didn’t have enough fuel to make more than one round trip run out there.</p>
<p>“How far?” Shepard tapped a digital gauge with a slight frown.</p>
<p>“Five clicks… give or take a few yards.” Garrus rumbled softly.</p>
<p>“Alright… we take a route through the destruction.” Shepard nodded and pulled the hammerhead away from the rendezvous point. “How bad can it be?”</p>
<p>Garrus gave her a sideways look, his mandibles flicking as his mouth opened slightly. He thought better of reminding her just how bad it had been during their push to the beam. She had to know there hadn’t been much ‘clean up’ in the last few months. Everything revolved around basic survival at the moment.</p>
<p>When he didn’t answer, she glanced over at him. “Is it really that bad?”</p>
<p>“It’s… uh… it’s not good.” Garrus said quietly.</p>
<p>“Did we save the galaxy just to have civilization collapse?” she breathed as she guided the hammerhead around a crumbling building.</p>
<p>“No. I was informed a few weeks ago that the Council is reforming… taking a section of Earth One as its temporary seat.” Garrus said, his sub-harmonics rumbling in an almost satisfied purr. “They’re… expanding.”</p>
<p>“Including more species in the decision making process?” she asked after a momentary pause.</p>
<p>“Hmm… something like that.” he nodded and couldn’t stop the slight flaring of his mandibles. “Every civilization will have a voice.”</p>
<p>“You mean they finally pulled their heads out of their asses and granted seats to every species?” her voice was so low, that if he’d been human, he would have been straining to hear it.</p>
<p>Garrus locked eyes with her for a brief moment and nodded. He saw the relief seem to melt the tension from her shoulders. “Tevos sent word to Anderson requesting he resume his seat on the Council. They took a vote on expansion. It was unanimous.”</p>
<p>“It’s about time…” Shepard grumbled as the refugee camp and landing platform came into view. She frowned at something before a smile crept across her face. “Anderson’s alive?”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Garrus nodded with a hum and a slight flaring of his mandibles. “In a wheelchair, but growling at anyone that crosses him.”</p>
<p>“There might be hope for the galaxy after all.” Shepard breathed and pulled the hammerhead to a stop just outside the parameter of the camp.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Catching a Break</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garrus and Shepard finally get a few minutes to catch their breath before dealing with Hackett and his transgressions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As they made their way into the camp, Shepard looked around and realized they weren’t all that far from the beam. The sight of it off in the distance filled her with a sense of dread and apprehension. Somehow she thought that thing was now a permanent conduit between the Citadel and Earth. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be able to stay in the camp as Garrus led her to the western edge. <em>How many of the thirteen million up there lost their lives when I blew that power conduit? How many were killed when the Crucible fired the red wave?</em> She didn’t know and she doubted she ever would. Garrus was likely to shield her from anything pertaining to those numbers as long as he could.</p>
<p>The turian must have noticed her hesitation as he guided her toward one of the makeshift barracks. He stopped and seemed to study her face for a moment before following her gaze to the beam. The moment it became clear that she was virtually freezing to the spot, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.</p>
<p>“C’mon… don’t stare at it. That mission’s done.” he hummed softly. When she still didn’t move, he tucked her close to his side and rested his jaw against the top of her head. He breathed in her scent. She could tell by the way he drew in a deep breath and released a quiet sigh when he spoke again. “The war’s over, Shay… you don’t have to <em>be</em> ‘Commander Shepard’ anymore.”</p>
<p>“I do… just for a little longer.” she finally tore her attention away from that beam and pressed her head against his plated chest. Something told her she couldn’t relinquish that role just yet.</p>
<p>“Alright, but… let’s go get some rest.” Garrus conceded softly and continued to guide her into the building.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus led her into his tiny quarters and glared at the cot that took up most of the room. It was small. Definitely not made for two, but it had worked for his turian structure well enough over the last weeks. At least when he’d actually slept in it. He wondered if he’d be able to squeeze his bondmate into it with him. If he let her take the wall side while he pressed himself against her back, it might just work. There was no way in hell he was going to let her go back to the hospital. Shane and Chloe might be dead, but he had no way of knowing if there were any others gunning for his bondmate.</p>
<p>When Shepard sat down on the bed, he knelt before her and looked the prosthetic over. With a deft twist of his wrist, he released the frame from the cap on the stump and set the metal leg aside. Removing the silicone cap, he heard her breathe a faint sigh of relief. The flesh was swollen and red, clearly not ready for the kind of punishment she’d put it through today.</p>
<p>Shepard ran her hands over the end of it and frowned. She sighed and shook her head, slouching a little. “Why do I still feel it?”</p>
<p>“It’s a little swollen. The cap…” he began and she cut him off.</p>
<p>“Not what I meant.” she shook her head again, the frown deepening. “I still feel my leg, my foot… my toes.”</p>
<p>“It’s just nerve memory. Happens to amputees.” Garrus rumbled quietly. He’d seen a good many soldiers lose limbs over the years. They all experienced the same sort of phantom sensations in the missing limbs.</p>
<p>“It’s gonna take some getting used to.” her voice was so soft even he had a hard time catching the words.</p>
<p>“You will, ma-kee-sa.” Garrus whispered and traced a goved talon across her cheek toward her ear.</p>
<p>Shepard leaned forward then and wrapped her arms around his neck inside his cowl. Her cheek rested against his mandible and his arms locked around her as she scooted off the bed against him. He shifted with her and drew her into his lap as he settled back on the floor. She virtually wrapped herself around him then. He didn’t know how long he held her like that. It could have been minutes or hours as she wrestled with her demons. All he knew for sure was that his shoulder was decidedly wet when she finally moved enough to press her forehead to his. <em>Commander Shepard doesn’t cry… but nothing says Shay Vakarian can’t</em>, he reminded himself.</p>
<p>Supporting her carefully, he climbed to his feet with a quiet grunt. She was heavier than she’d been months ago, but that wouldn’t have bothered him under normal circumstances. His missing leg spur made getting to his feet with the added weight more than a little difficult.</p>
<p>Ignoring the pain and stiffness in his knee, he climbed into bed with her. It only took a moment for her to shift and settle herself in a comfortable position. It wasn’t quite the position he’d expected. He had to admit, it worked so much better. She faced him and virtually draped herself over him. Her belly rested against his abdominal plates and pelvis.</p>
<p>Garrus pressed his plated brow to her forehead and released a tired sigh of contentment as he settled in. Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled his nose against hers and started to drift. Her scent and the warmth of her body against his began to sooth the deep seeded emotional turmoil the destruction of the Crucible had driven into his very soul. Sleep claimed him quickly.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shepard clung to him the moment he settled into the narrow bed with her. She’d barely had time to orient herself to the reality of finally being awake. Part of her still wasn’t sure if the entire day hadn’t been some bizarre coma-dream. She’d been hearing the outside world for months, but she hadn’t been able to interact with it. <em>Maybe I’ve finally lost my mind. That has to be it. Shane didn’t come and steal me away from the hospital. I’m still there… trapped in a body that won’t wake up</em>.</p>
<p>Searching the turian’s face as his eyes drifted closed, she took a shaky breath and snuggled into him. <em>Worse dreams to be trapped in. If I have to dream myself into chaos, at least I have good company. Better than being alone in that forest for all eternity.</em></p>
<p>Draping a leg over his hip crest, she drew him in just a little closer and began to relax. Her belly, and the growing twins within, rested against him comfortably as she began to doze. She squirmed down into a nest of blankets and turian arms seeking a deeper sleep.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>It started out as a weird bubbling sensation against his plates that he couldn’t quite place. He frowned in his sleep, licking at the inside of his upper mouth plates. Groaning softly at the disturbance, he shifted a little. It came again, more defined and less bubbly. He waited, more alert now as the sensation continued at erratic intervals. When it came again, it was a much harder thump against his abdominal plates.</p>
<p>Shifting, he looked down at the sleeping human in his arms. The short fuzz coming in all over her scalp tickled the inside of his nose if he got too close to it. The thump came again and he glanced down toward her belly. He saw the surface twitch along her side. Hesitantly, he started to put his hand on that twitching spot. He drew back for a few seconds, not wanting to wake her. His curiosity won out with the next twitch and he smoothed his hand over it cautiously.</p>
<p>The twitch came with a solid thump to his palm within a few seconds. His brow plates lowered a fraction as his mandibles twitched. It thumped and rolled across his palm with the next movement. <em>What </em><em><span class="u">is</span></em> <em>that? Is it a hand? A foot? Hmm… could be a backside… or a head…</em> He moved his hand, caressing her side lightly and the movement within followed. That movement increased for a time and he revelled in drawing it toward his hand. It decreased as drowsiness drew him toward sleep again and he figured the little one was tired too.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shepard woke midway through her mate’s caresses. She made no indication that she was awake as he played with the movement within her. A surge of emotion rolled through her as he chased the movement across her side and hummed. She didn’t think he was aware that he was humming a turian lullaby as he played with one of the twins.</p>
<p>When the activity inside slowed, so did his. She noticed he was drifting off again with a contented look on his face. Gently kissing his mouth plates, she smiled at the turian who held her so close. <em>You’ll make a great daddy</em>.</p>
<p>Garrus let out a groan of frustration when his omni-tool pinged a few minutes later. From the faint light creeping under the door, Shepard suspected it must be early morning. The turian breathed a sigh and ignored the omni-tool until it pinged again. He rumbled in irritation then and drew his arm up enough to look at the thing. The turian frowned at the message he was reading before his eyes flicked to hers.</p>
<p>“Anderson’s called a Council Tribunal. They’ve taken Hackett into custody.” he murmured.</p>
<p>“Why?” Shepard asked softly, frowning in thought.</p>
<p>“Nihlus submitted audio evidence that links Hackett to Shane… and a whole slew of conspiracy and treason charges.” Garrus said quietly as he sat up yawning and scratched the back of his neck.</p>
<p>“It never ends… does it?” Shepard whispered as she sat up and scooted toward the edge of the bed.</p>
<p>“When he’s dealt with… it will.” Garrus said and ran a hand over her shoulder in encouragement. “They need us there.”</p>
<p>Shepard sighed, running a hand over her scalp and the short hair across it. “I need some dress blues.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Consequences</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hackett faces the consequences of his actions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I don’t think you realize the kind of trouble you’re actually in, Admiral.” Anderson growled as he glared at Hackett. “You’ve refused to disclose vital facts, endangered the life of the Primarch’s mate, conspired to terminate the Primarch’s unborn children, and let’s just add the kidnapping and attempted murder of an honored galactic war hero to those charges. What do you have to say for yourself?”</p>
<p>Hackett’s face was unreadable as he stared straight ahead. “I did what was in the best interests of galactic life.”</p>
<p>“<em>Why?</em>” Anderson snarled and leaned on the council desk between them. “Why do you think it’s so damned important to silence Shepard? Why terminate the first pair of a new species?”</p>
<p>“Shepard’s a symbol, a shining example of what humanity is capable of. That image will be tarnished with her ties to the Hierarchy. Bonded to Palaven’s Primarch, she could unwittingly disclose highly classified Alliance intel to him and his government. I’m sure you’re aware of the consequences should certain things come to light.” Hackett shook his head, hands still clasped behind his back. “Alive, she can do far too much damage to the fragile peace we’ve forged. As a martyr… her accomplishments, her honor and her image remain… intact.”</p>
<p>“And what about the chicks?” Sparatus snapped, anger thrumming through his sub-harmonics as his QEC image flickered.</p>
<p>“Mordin Solus has already confirmed that they are a direct result of her reconstructed DNA and cybernetics interacting unexpectedly with the genophage cure. Bottom line, they’re freaks of science and nature. There’s no telling what danger they might pose to galactic life. Eliminating them is in the best interest of that life.” Hackett stood his ground, shifting only a fraction.</p>
<p>“<em>You sick son of a bitch!</em>” Shepard snarled from her position beside Garrus on the other side of the room. The turian rested a calming hand on her shoulder and she barely managed to restrain herself from charging after the admiral.</p>
<p>Sparatus held up a hand with a slight nod in her direction. “There’s more to it than that. As Councilor Anderson has already mentioned, they are the <em>Primarch’s</em> children. As such, they fall under Hierarchy protection… as does their mother.”</p>
<p>“Tuchunka and clan Urdnot extends an offer of protection to Shepard and her unborn children.” Wrex barked sharply, clearly intending to be heard.</p>
<p>“Sur’Kesh extends the offer as well.” Valern stated, hands hidden within the voluminous sleeves of his robe. His QEC image seemed a little more stable than the turian councilor.</p>
<p>Shepard’s expression evolved from one of blind rage to surprise. Nearly every counselor on the board extended an offer of protection to her. The batarians and vorcha were among those few who didn’t. Neither had an actual homeworld left to host her on should they extend that offer.</p>
<p>“It seems to me that the galaxy has spoken, Admiral. Care to offer another excuse for your actions?” Anderson asked after glancing at those in favor of protecting the woman who had saved all their skins.</p>
<p>Shepard watched Hackett for nervous tells. The man was stiff as ever, standing there still as old steel. The only indication that he was the least bit concerned with his current situation was the posture of his head and neck. His head was held high, chin jutting out defiantly. She saw his adam’s apple bob just once as his eyes darted around the Council Chambers.</p>
<p>Finally, the man decided to fill the silence, “I stand firmly behind my convictions.”</p>
<p>“The way I see it, you have a couple of choices here, Admiral Hackett.” Anderson began, folding his hands before him on the table. “The Alliance can court-martial you for treason and conspiracy to commit murder…. Or…”</p>
<p>“There <em>is </em>no ‘<em>or’!</em> He sent Shepard’s brother to <em>kill</em> her. I want his <em>fucking head</em> on a <em>pike!</em>” Garrus snapped, his sub-harmonics issuing a vicious snarl.</p>
<p>“Primarch, <em>please</em>…” Sparatus warned him gently with a shake of his head.</p>
<p>Anderson frowned at the turian, making direct eye contact briefly before his attention returned to Hackett. “Step down, Steven. Retire with honor. Your role in defeating the Reapers was vital. It won’t easily be forgotten.”</p>
<p>“Amnesty…” Hackett muttered darkly.</p>
<p>“Would you prefer execution?” Anderson asked frankly.</p>
<p>“If this Council pardons him, what’s to stop him from coming after me or my twins in a few months… or even a few years?” Shepard asked sharply, her eyes searching the faces of every member before her. “What’s to stop him from sending an assassin to murder us in our beds? He’s already thrown me to the wolves over Aratoht.”</p>
<p>“You launched a <em>meteor</em> into a <em>relay!</em>” Hackett snapped, glancing to his right at her. “I had nothing to do with that. Your mission was simple; rescue Dr. Kenson from a batarian prison…. And you <em>blew</em> the whole damn system.”</p>
<p>“I never would have been there if you hadn’t turned me into an 'errand boy'.” Shepard snapped back at him.</p>
<p>“Enough.” Anderson growled just loud enough into the lull to be heard by them both.</p>
<p>“Shepard has redeemed herself in the eyes of the batarian people. This <em>new</em>… evidence, however, is… <em>troubling</em>. The admiral must be held accountable.” the batarian counselor, a female of the species, said thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“I second that notion.” Tevos spoke up, her QEC image wrought with wavy lines of interference. “The admiral has proven he can be a danger to galactic stability.”</p>
<p>“I’d eat him, but he’s old and stringy.” Wrex laughed before turning his red eyes on the admiral. </p>
<p>Shepard crossed her arms over the rounded swell of her belly and shook her head at the krogan. The half smile on her face betraying the humor she found in the statement. “You can’t eat him, Wrex.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’s probably tough as an old boot. Bet he’d give me the shits too.” Wrex grumbled.</p>
<p>“The krogan councilor will <em>refrain</em> from <em>eating</em> the accused.” Valern grumbled.</p>
<p>“Toss him in a stew pot… or feed him to a pack of hungry varren.” Garrus grumbled and glared right back at Hackett when the man glanced toward him.</p>
<p>“No one is cooking or eating anyone here.” Anderson growled, raising his hands to stop the nonsense. He pressed his palms against the desk and looked around the room then. “Has the council come to a reasonable decision?”</p>
<p>There were murmurs and the clicks of buttons all around for several thunderous heartbeats. Shepard looked to each of them wondering exactly what was going through their minds. Her eyes returned to Hackett when she saw Sparatus look to Tevos with a slight nod.</p>
<p>“We have, Councilor Anderson.” Tevos finally said firmly. “It is the decision of this Council that Admiral Hackett be stripped of his commision and handed over to the batarian people for… <em>disciplinary</em> action. Further, any <em>detainees</em> he has… <em>acquired</em> on Earth One Station will be released upon the conclusion of this meeting.”</p>
<p>“<em>You can’t do that!</em> The batarians will butcher me! You have no jurisdiction over matters of Alliance discipline.” Hackett railed against the decision.</p>
<p>“The Alliance has authorized this Council to act as a tribunal panel, Hackett. Our decision stands.” Spartacus said, crossing his arms with a smug look on his face.</p>
<p>At a nod from Anderson, a pair of C-Sec officers moved forward and took the former admiral into custody. Clearly they’d been waiting for just such a decision. Hackett tried to shake them off as they stepped to either side of him, each taking an arm. The turian on his right just gave him one of the most evil looks Shepard thought she’d ever seen on one of their faces. The human simply twisted his arm up behind him.</p>
<p>“Give me a reason to break it… <em>sir</em>.” she heard the man growl at him.</p>
<p>“<em>Anderson! You can’t do this!</em>” Hackett raged as they hauled him toward the door. “<em>I’ll appeal this decision!</em>”</p>
<p>“Yeah… good luck with that… from Torfan.” Garrus grumbled quietly.</p>
<p>As the C-Sec officers were practically manhandling Hackett toward the door, he twisted in their grip and managed to get his hands on one of their weapons. He shoved the turian out of his way and took aim at Shepard. She was never sure if his shot went wild because of his careless aim or the hole that ripped its way through his skull. Garrus had thrown himself in front of her to shield her, blocking part of her view. It wasn’t his shot that had taken the admiral out. There was no gun in his hands. He simply glared death at Hackett as the man dropped to the floor bonelessly.</p>
<p>In the commotion that followed, she spotted the shooter and steadied herself against her bondmate. Anderson laid the pistol on the desk before him with a grim look before folding his hands over it. He made eye contact with her briefly.</p>
<p>“It seems the matter is settled.” there was a note of finality to Anderson's voice when he finally spoke.</p>
<p>“So it is.” the batarian councilor nodded and reached toward something in front of her before her QEC image winked out.</p>
<p>“This meeting is adjourned as justice has been served… in a most unsettling manner.” Tevos said with a nod of her own before stepping off the QEC platform to disappear out of range.</p>
<p>“I was hoping he’d suffer... for a few years, at least... after the hell he put you through.” Garrus rumbled softly beside her.</p>
<p>Shepard locked eyes with him then in concern. What she saw in his eyes might have scared the hell out of her a few years ago. That vengeful spirit he kept locked away, Archangel, he was first and foremost in the turian’s eyes. A few years ago, she might have shied away from that part of him. Now she simply nodded and cupped his scarred mandible, rubbing her thumb along his cheekbone gently.</p>
<p>“We should go.” she said simply after a couple of heartbeats.</p>
<p>Garrus locked those icy blue eyes to her and something in their depths softened when he nodded. He cupped her hand to his face for half a heartbeat before pulling it down into a loose grip, entwining their fingers.</p>
<p>“Let’s… get out of here. That pile of meat over there… stinks.” he grumbled, tilting his head toward Hackett’s body.</p>
<p>Shepard searched his face for any trace of that vengeful spirit and found only her bondmate gazing back at her. Seconds… he’d flipped that switch in a matter of seconds. She wondered how often Archangel might come to the surface now that he seemed to have broken free of some internal prison. <em>Will I be able to handle him if the ptsd kicks in too?</em> That was a thought she kept close and to herself. It was a legitimate concern given his skills in combat.</p>
<p>After a moment, she nodded both to herself and him. She’d handle whatever she had to in order to remain at his side. “Alright… let’s see about a transport to the surface. I think I’m done with space for awhile.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Stress Relief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our favorite pair have been through the wringer. Now they're settled into a temporary apartment for a time. It allows them some much needed privacy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Reader Discretion is strongly advised. Here there be smut.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus sat staring at the data pad in his hands as he leaned back with a sigh of frustration. The frown on his face was beginning to etch permanent cracks into his crest and brow plates. A number of reports were starting to trickle in from the Trebia System and most were grim. The losses to the overall turian population were staggering, far greater than many of the other races. Barely a quarter of his people remained to rebuild their society.</p><p>There were other reports, some directly from Palaven, others from its few remaining colonies. The recovery efforts were going to take years. With so few of his people left, and the Primarchs of the colonies missing or dead, he was left with more authority than he’d ever wanted.</p><p>After going over a number of those reports, everything from commerce to agriculture, Garrus signed a few requests and a few more orders. For the good of his people, Palaven needed to be a priority. The homeworld had to be recovered first in order to restore food production and supply lines. Those were the priorities he set. The whole thing felt like a monumental task he was ill prepared for.</p><p>Garrus looked over another report regarding the Trebia Relay and released a sigh of relief. <em>Glad Shepard saw something in the rachni I didn’t. If I’d had my way, the queen would be dead… and… we’d all be stranded... indefinitely.</em> This report elaborated on the status of the Relay. Apparently, the rachni were skilled with more than weapons of mass destruction. They’d taken it upon themselves to repair the Relays. According to the report, they’d sent an asari liaison to request a large quantity of eezo. She’d said it was the final element needed to complete the repairs.</p><p>With a satisfied flick of his mandibles, Garrus authorized that request. The next report caused him to toss the data pad across his desk with a groan. He detached his visor and set it aside to rub at his eyes as he leaned back in the chair a little more. After a moment, he glanced back toward the bedroom longingly. Anderson and about half the Council had insisted he and Shepard move to one of the recently renovated apartment buildings. It was a temporary setup, but it was better than the refugee barracks.</p><p>Looking back to the desk, he leaned forward and rested his head on his folded arms. Being a leader was exhausting. He didn’t know how Shepard had managed it. If he really looked at all she’d done, she’d virtually become a galactic leader for a short time. The thought boggled the mind.</p><p>When her hands made contact with his neck, he shivered at the unexpected touch on his unprotected hide. She gently massaged the sides of his neck and worked deep into the muscles lining his cowl. He hummed in contentment and began to relax into it. Sitting up, he leaned back in the chair as she slid her hands over his cowl and started working at the muscles of his shoulders. Small though her hands might be, they were more than strong enough to work deeply into the tense tissue.</p><p>After a couple of minutes, he swiveled around and ran his hands up her sides. His eyes locked with hers as his hands smoothed over the swell of her belly. He still marveled at how big that belly had grown. At first he’d worried that she might split open. After Mordin had reassured him over a vid sync that wasn’t the case, he’d come to appreciate the extra padding. He still harbored some concerns, but he kept those close to himself.</p><p>“Come to bed.” she murmured as he slipped his arms around her waist. “The Victory Gala’s tomorrow.”</p><p>“And the press conference… the meetings, the medal ceremony…” he sighed and pressed his face against the swell of his growing chicks. “Can we… just go back to the Normandy… Maybe take a few more Reapers down?”</p><p>“Afraid not, lover.” Shepard answered with a huffing laugh.</p><p>“Crap…” he sighed sadly.</p><p>“You forgot the last thing we’re doing tomorrow, didn’t you?” she hummed and ran her hands over his fringe.</p><p>“What could possibly be more stressful than wading through bureaucratic red tape?” he groaned softly.</p><p>“Holographic imaging...” Shepard said simply.</p><p>“Spirits… <em>that’s</em> tomorrow?” Garrus sucked in a shocked breath and leaned back enough to look up at her. He’d never admit it to her, but part of him was terrified of what their chicks might actually look like. So many things could go wrong with a normal pregnancy. <em>What about hybrids? How do they fit into the grand scheme of things?</em> He didn’t know. There were no easy answers to those questions.</p><p>“C’mon… I know something that’ll make you feel better.” she whispered and he realized she must have seen the flicker of fear in his eyes.</p><p>“Alright….” he sighed as he dragged himself to his feet. “Shy of calibrating a giant gun… I have no idea what that would be.”</p><p>Shepard giggled softly and shook her head. “How about ‘blowing off steam’?”</p><p>“We <em>can’t</em>… the <em>chicks</em>…” he rumbled, eyes growing wide in concern.</p><p>“We <em>can</em>. They’ll be fine. Most human women have sex all the way up until the time of birth. It’s even encouraged.” Shepard enlightened him.</p><p>“I… uh… I... don’t know, ma-kee-sa.” he hummed softly in apprehension, rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>“You can’t tell me you’re not carrying around some stress. I <em>know</em> I am. Let’s... work it off together.” she ran her hand up across his pectoral plate and gripped the rim of his cowl firmly. Leaning in, she pulled him down a little to reach his ear-pore. Her voice dropped to a seductive whisper then. “Let’s have a sparring match between the sheets.”</p><p>“I… uh… I’m <em>not</em>… not sure that’s such a... <em>good</em> idea.” he stammered as she backed away from him. He couldn’t control the quiet remorseful keen at the loss of contact. His eyes went just a little wider as she started stripping her clothes off right there.</p><p>“Well… if you don’t wanna help… I’ll just relieve myself.” she purred at him as one hand cupped her breast and the other smoothed over her rounded belly toward the apex of her thighs. She gasped as she made contact with her goal.</p><p>Growling, Garrus discarded his own clothing hastily. His plates were already shifting, the natural lubricant dripping from his seam as he advanced on her. She was pressed against him, kissing him passionately in a matter of seconds. He backed her into the bedroom and toward the nest of pillows they’d made of the bed. Following her down into that nest, he began exploring her neck and collar bone until he’d managed to lightly grip the bondmark.</p><p>“<em>Uhmmm… spirits</em>…” he moaned as his plates spread wide and released his erection almost painfully when her fingers barely grazed his seam.</p><p>*</p><p>Shepard pulled him down with her and pushed him over onto his back on the contoured bed. Laid completely bare to her, she realized the burning fuel that had washed over him from the Mako had taken a nasty toll. Her hands ran gently over the pitted wheels and scars across his pectoral plates. The hide that rolled away from those plates toward his triceps now bore similar scarring to match those across his neck.</p><p>Hands stopping and hovering over the fist sized scar just below the missing section of rib plating, she sucked in a distraught breath. Clearly the damage Aria had done to him during their last trip to Omega had cost him more than they’d suspected it might. The extensive scarring that broke many of the lines of ink along his carapace continued on across his abdominal plates. They were the result of burns, both chemical and flame, from the Mako’s fuel.</p><p>“I had no idea…” she whispered sadly as she continued exploring the now foriegn terrain of scars and plates.</p><p>“Hey… I’m alive. That’s what counts… right?” he breathed as he folded one of her hands in his and brought it to his mouth plates. The blue tip of his tongue flicked out lightning quick to feather across her knuckles.</p><p>Nodding, she leaned over him, cupping a hand to the side of his face and encouraged him to meet her halfway. Pressing her forehead to his crested brow, she hummed faintly at the intensity of emotion that swamped her. He was right, he was alive. They both were and they were going to have a family soon.</p><p>*</p><p>Mandibles flaring in a devious smile, Garrus rubbed himself against her hip with a deep resonate purr. The waiting was getting the better of him. Determination mingled with sadness in her face as she ran a hands down his body. He meant to rid her of that sad undertone as soon as possible.</p><p>A tremor passed through his right leg as he raised it up and removed the brace. He dropped it over the edge of the bed and returned his attention to her quickly. Releasing a sigh at the look on her face, he realized the damage was done as he reached for her. Shepard’s eyes were locked to the metal cap shielding the short stump of his spur.</p><p>Without a second thought, he sat up and released the prosthetic from her right thigh. It dropped off the bed a few seconds later when he rubbed his scarred mandible against her jaw. He nibbled at her ear, running his tongue down the side of her neck and nipping his way back up until she shivered. The scent of her arousal resurged with a faint moan of desire then.</p><p>“Scars mean… we <em>survived</em>, ma-kee-sa.” he whispered against her ear. She had said much the same to him once not long after he’d survived Omega.</p><p>Garrus missed her hair as he ran a hand around to cup the back of her head. True, it was coming back in, but he longed to run his talons through it. He knew how much she enjoyed that too, but they would adapt for the moment.</p><p>*</p><p>There were only a couple of ways Shepard could see making this work. Garrus wasn’t complaining. In fact, his hands were all over her. He encouraged her to do whatever she needed to in order to make this happen. His hands were there to support her the second she swung her right thigh over him. Her balance was off with the missing knee joint. Her movements were less than graceful as she straddled his waist.</p><p>Garrus didn’t seem to care if she was graceful or not. He kneading at her thighs as she settled herself over him. She rubbed against him teasingly when she found her balance again, delighting in how his eyes seemed to roll back in his head. The contact was doing a number on her as well. She shivered with desire as she ground against him for several long and sensual moments.</p><p>*</p><p>Unable to wait any longer, Garrus gripped her hips gently and stabilized her. A moaning hum escaped him as his hips bucked beneath her. She lifted herself enough to allow him access and he adjusted the angle quickly. In a matter of seconds she buried him deep within her with a lusty gasp. His growl mirrored her as his hands slipped around to grip her ass.</p><p>It had been months since they’d ‘blown off steam’. Garrus was surprised things were going so smoothly. His last thoughts of sex were the night they’d spent together just before the Normandy dropped them on Earth. It felt like a lifetime ago. <em>Or maybe another life all together. Been spending too much time in your own head, Vakarian. You know that’s not necessarily good for you.</em></p><p>The turian knew there were a number of very good reasons for that, but he pushed them all aside for now. There was no room for anything but Shepard and the pleasure she was searing into his nervous system right then. She might not have rhythm on the dance floor, but he wouldn’t trade her rhythm in the bedroom for anything. He wanted to roll upward to lick and nip at the sensitive skin of her neck, but he knew he couldn’t risk injuring their chicks. <em>Can’t press into her too hard</em>. Instead, he satisfied himself with reaching up and fondling one of her breasts. Turians didn’t have them and he didn’t care. His mate did and he’d learned to appreciate their sensitivity.</p><p>Rolling a nipple between his thumb and forefinger, his mandibles flared at her gasps and moans. He frowned slightly when he felt the moisture oozing from it. If he hadn’t already done a little research into human pregnancy, he might have panicked.</p><p>None of it mattered as his body climbed higher into wild responses to his mate. Pleasure was screaming along his nervous system now in gloriously burning waves that made his toes curl. She was so much squishier than she’d ever been and he delighted in the different feel of her now.</p><p>*</p><p>At some point, his hands left her hips and breasts to grip hers in offer of added balance and support. It was enough to give her the leverage she needed. The spiral of pleasure soared to dizzying heights and snapped suddenly like a spring wound too tight. She cried out, riding the orgasm out to its end. His sharp snarl of release nearly drowned out her cry a couple of heartbeats later.</p><p>Shepard barely had the strength or coordination to swing her leg over him and drop to her side next to him. His body was hot, pouring heat over her as he shifted toward her. His arms snaked around her and drew her in tight as he worked on controlling his breathing. Rarely did she ever notice beads of sweat pooling in the fine seams between his plates, but she ran her fingers through a few of those oily beads now. He curled around her, tucking his head into the apex of her neck and shoulder with a contented sigh.</p><p>Normally, he only tucked her close like that for a few minutes before insisting they shower. Tonight, however, the soft reedy sounds of turian snoring filtered to her ears in minutes. His arms tightened around her in his sleep when she shifted just a fraction and she smiled, running her hands over his fringe.</p><p>Instead of waking him for that shower, she snuggled in deeper and found a more comfortable position. They had a big day to face tomorrow and she meant to be alert when they did. She was pretty sure her turian wasn’t going to like the bureaucratic garbage they were going to be facing.</p><p>With a deep sigh, Garrus shifted his head out of the apex of her neck to nuzzle against her face. The light, reedy sounds of his snoring lulled her toward sleep then. She sank comfortably into both his arms and dreams of their future together.</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. The Victory Gala</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The victory gala has a little something for everyone and virtually everyone is there.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Garrus tugged uncomfortably at the short jacket for the third time as he glared at himself in the mirror. He’d never liked this style of outfit. It was something he’d always seen as better suiting a politician or a performer more than a military man. Unfortunately, he knew he fit into two of those roles at the present time. He thought that was possibly what made him dislike the style on himself even more. Somehow, it proved that he was transitioning into a position he really didn’t want. It was a role he knew he had to take for the good of the turian people.</p>
<p>“You look fine, lover. The blue and gold complement your coloring beautifully,” Shepard said as she stepped between him and the mirror to smooth down the gold trim of the jacket.</p>
<p>“I feel like a pyjak stuffed into a gun casing,” he grumbled darkly and tugged the bottom of the jacket one more time.</p>
<p>Shepard took his hands in her much smaller ones then and held them for a couple of minutes. It was clear to him that she was trying to refocus his attention. Her small thumb rubbed the back of one of his large knuckles as she smiled up at him. The darkening edge in the expression he knew he must be wearing softened slowly as his eyes finally found hers. He looked her over then with an approving nod. She’d chosen a floor-length chiffon gown in a deep shade of mauve with one wide banded strap over her left shoulder. The belt rode high, just beneath her breasts and a multitude of tiny fabric roses cascaded down from the buckle positioned right of center to sweep around the bottom elegantly. He thought she was stunning in nearly anything, but this gown was on par with what she’d worn at their bonding ceremony.</p>
<p>Garrus sighed a moment later and closed his eyes, tipping his head forward slightly. “What am I doing, Shepard? I’m not a politician. Hell… I’m not even a leader.”</p>
<p>“You and I both know the galaxy doesn’t need more politicians.” She drew his hands to her waist and reached up to caress his scarred mandible. “But you <em>are</em> a leader… you always have been. It’s why I trusted you to lead the backup squads. And… it’s the reason I made you my second on the Normandy. You’ve proven your worth as a leader… in <em>every</em> mission, Garrus.”</p>
<p>“I guess… I just don’t see it that way. Not after… Sidonis.” The turian sighed, shaking his head slightly as he turned his hands over and captured hers, gripping them lightly.</p>
<p>“You will,” she said simply, her voice full of confidence.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>It had taken over an hour by shuttle to reach the huge Alliance Banquet Hall. Garrus had to admit, it was impressive when they stepped through the door. Somehow he thought this must be what it was like to be underwater..., without the drowning part. The walls were covered in tightly pleated teal drapery with strategically placed lighting to enhance the overall blue effect. The most impressive part of it was the lighted crystals practically ‘dripping’ from the ceiling. It seemed much more lavish than was strictly necessary to him.</p>
<p>Garrus glanced at Shepard periodically as she waddled along beside him. Her arm was looped through his for stability as they made their way through the place. The Alliance had clearly taken great measures to ensure that the hall was reconstructed in a timely manner. This gala had been in the works for a few weeks, but none of them had known if Shepard would be able to attend or not.</p>
<p>Soft music played overhead as they were directed toward the large table off to one side of the room. He glanced at Shepard again when she grunted faintly. Her brows were knitted together deepening that crease between them. He was about to duck his head toward her ear and ask if something was wrong when the faint grimace shifted into a smile. Jack stopped before them dressed in full Grissom Academy red. <em>And heels… damn, never thought I’d see her in anything so… concealing</em>.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“Shit, Shepard… look at you.” Jack barked a laugh, clearly looking her up and down as she stopped before them with a glass of something green.</p>
<p>“Look at <em>me?</em>” Shepard laughed and waved a hand at the woman. “Damn, Jack. Look at <em>you</em>. When did you go all… respectable?”</p>
<p>“You know I gotta maintain the ‘appearance’ for my kids.” Jack tilted her head to the side slightly with a half-smile before gesturing at the commander’s rounded belly. “When did <em>that</em> happen? And <em>whose</em> is it?”</p>
<p>Garrus stood a little straighter, shoulders twitching backward a bit and Shepard shook her head. The smile never left her face as she locked eyes with Jack once more. “They’re his.”</p>
<p>“<em>They?</em> You really do believe in bitin’ off more than you can chew, don’t you, Shep?” Jack let out a gasping laugh and held up a hand. The flick of her eyes toward the turian was an indication that the rest of the statement had finally clicked. “Wait... <em>His?</em> No way.”</p>
<p>Shepard just crossed her arms over her rounded belly and gave Jack a smug look. She noticed the turian bobbing his head ever so slightly in pride at her side. That wasn’t something she’d seen from him since their days on the SR-1. He’d bobbed around, twisting his upper body enough to show off certain angles that she’d later learned were favorable shows to female turians. <em>If I’d read him correctly back then</em>, she realized, <em>I would have been aware of his interest almost from the start</em>. Now she just found it adorable given the circumstances.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck… how?</em>” Jack choked out.</p>
<p>“Genophage cure interaction with experimental cybernetics… unpredictable, unexpected. Appears Shepard will deliver sooner than calculations first suggested.” Mordin said coming up behind Jack.</p>
<p>“They’re… uh... Mine.” Garrus said quietly, his hands resting on Shepard’s shoulders as he stepped behind her to allow someone to pass them.</p>
<p>“Well damn. You two really <em>are</em>… somethin’ else, aren’t you? Breakin’ the laws of nature now. You think there’s anything you two <em>can’t </em>do?” Jack shook her head with a laugh and took a gulp of her green booze.</p>
<p>The boom, boom, boom of running feet was heard a moment after someone grumbled near another doorway ahead of them. The sound interrupted the comeback Shepard started to make. Her attention snapped toward the commotion. With a sinking feeling, she leaned against her bondmate and breathed out a slow, quiet curse. “<em>Shit</em>…”</p>
<p>“Sheeeepppaaaardddd!” Eight hundred pounds of krogan came barreling through the crowd, heedless of who he knocked over on his way to her.</p>
<p>“She’s gonna roast your quads, whelp!” Wrex shouted after him.</p>
<p>“Heh-heh-heh…” Grunt laughed even as he seemed to notice the difference in her appearance. He attempted to stop, but his momentum carried him onward. “Crap!”</p>
<p>“Oh no you don’t!” Liara barked from the other side of the table an instant before Grunt was captured in a biotic field.</p>
<p>Shepard stood her ground, glaring into the krogan’s face bare inches from her own. “Slow down next time… <em>son</em>.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus snorted a half laugh of relief behind her as his hand loosened a little around her shoulders. <em>Grunt… spirits, that boy is dangerous</em>. He thought his heart might very well beat its way right through his keel when the krogan was bearing down on them. If not for Liara, he was fairly certain they might have ended up a multi-species splatter on the floor. He breathed a sigh of relief now as Liara set the overgrown krogan toddler back on his feet.</p>
<p>“Nice catch, Liara,” Garrus murmured to the asari when he and Shepard moved around the table to take their seats.</p>
<p>“Someone had to ensure he didn’t bowl the two of you over.” Liara nodded and glanced toward the other asari settling in at the table. “Natearus is… occupied with something over there.”</p>
<p>Garrus glanced toward the asari in mention and frowned at how cozy she seemed to be next to his father. His eyes found Mordin chatting with Major Kirrahe not far away. It occurred to him then that the salarian didn’t care one way or the other. The amphibians didn’t form lasting romantic bonds like many of the longer lived species. That thought caused his brow plates to draw down even further as he glared back at Natearus.</p>
<p>The moment he started to step away from his bondmate, she tightened her grip on his arm and drew him toward the chairs at the center of the table. Her voice was soft, but full of warning when she spoke. “Leave it alone, Garrus.”</p>
<p>“I… just wanna <em>talk</em> to them.” he rumbled and couldn’t keep the anger out of his sub-harmonics.</p>
<p>“No you don’t. You wanna <em>challenge</em> Nana and that’s definitely not a good idea.” Shepard hissed as she sat down. She tugged him down toward his own chair with a disapproving glare.</p>
<p>“She should just… I don’t know… Maybe… just leave him alone.” Garrus’ head twitched a bit as he forced his gaze to the place setting before him. “She’s… going to hurt him. He’s going to outlive her… maybe by decades.”</p>
<p>“You’re being selfish, lover. It’s not about the amount of time they have left, but the <em>quality</em> of that time… and you know it.” Shepard said quietly as she rubbed his thigh under the table.</p>
<p>Garrus released a heavy sigh and nodded before locking eyes with her. “You’re right.”</p>
<p>“I get it. He’s your dad and you’re not thrilled with the idea of sharing him with anybody but your mom.” Shepard squeezed his thigh briefly before taking his hand.</p>
<p>“Turians mate for life.” his voice was so low he wasn’t sure she’d heard him. He didn’t take into account the enhancements the cybernetics had made.</p>
<p>“And sometimes they move on after their mates are gone. If I’d died in the Crucible… I wouldn’t have held it against you for moving on and having a life, a family… <em>without me</em>.” Shepard gripped his hand in both of hers then.</p>
<p>“We’re <em>not</em> talking about that. You’re <em>here</em> and I intend to keep you <em>here</em>.” Garrus all but growled at her. He locked eyes with hers then, a deadly serious look pinning itself to his face. His eyes narrowed with the emphasis he placed on one word. “If the worst had happened… I wouldn’t… I <em>couldn’t</em> have just... moved on.” He glanced toward his father then. “It’s not in me to let go that easily…. Must come from mom.”</p>
<p>The conversation was interrupted by Anderson drawing attention to the head of the room. The older man tapped a fork lightly against an empty glass. The sound rang through the room crisply until every voice dropped into silence. Most of the room was seated which made spotting him easier.</p>
<p>Garrus still found it a little unnerving to see the man sitting in a wheelchair. From the first moment he’d met him, he’d thought Anderson was an imposing, larger than life kind of figure. He’d heard the rumors and stories about him working with Saren before he’d even realized the Spectre was dirty.</p>
<p>“May I have your attention, please?” Anderson’s voice boomed through the room.</p>
<p>The few who continued to chatter grew quiet at his request. All eyes turned toward him then. Human, turian, salarian. Representatives of every species were present in that banquet hall. Each of them granted Anderson their undivided attention. Even the camera drones turned toward him.</p>
<p>“We’re here to celebrate the greatest victory the galaxy has ever known. But more than that -- we’re here to honor those who made it possible. Even as we mourn our dead, know that fate has been kind to us. Our losses have been staggering and it will take decades to recover fully, but recover we will. Together we forge a new path of peace -- one paved in the blood of the fallen. This is the legacy left to us. It’s their sacrifice that has made it possible.” Anderson was silent for a moment as he looked around the room. He nodded to the Normandy crew when he spotted them before continuing. “We’re fortunate that legacy did not require the blood of the savior of our civilizations... or her crew. Please, Commander, stand and be recognized for the achievement of an impossible task.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Shepard just sat there for a moment as all eyes turned toward her. She hadn’t expected Anderson to call for recognition of her achievements so soon. Garrus encouraged her to stand with a smug smile spreading his mandibles and she glared at him. Her face, she knew, had to be cherry red as the heat of something akin to embarrassment rose up into her cheeks.</p>
<p>When she didn’t move, Garrus stood and offered her his hand. Reluctantly she accepted his assistance and rose slowly. The lights of the camera drones focused on her then. They left nothing to the imagination regarding her condition. As the applause around the room died down, Anderson gave her an expectant look. The Admiral turned Councilor was clearly hoping she’d say something.</p>
<p>With a quiet sigh, she pressed her lips together for a moment before glancing around the room at the many faces staring at her. She gave a barely perceptible nod and folded her hands over her belly as her bondmate put an encouraging arm around her shoulders. “I did what had to be done. Any one of you would have done the same if the responsibility was dropped on your shoulders.”</p>
<p>“You’re a hero in the eyes of the <em>entire</em> galaxy now, Shepard. This isn’t the time for humility.” Anderson said to the sound of a few chuckles.</p>
<p>“Maybe not, but…” Shepard waved a hand at the crowd in general. <em>No pressure, right, Anderson</em>, she growled to herself. “Wouldn’t all of you rather have a humble hero? One who understands that privilege is <em>earned</em> and not simply given… or demanded? Humble rather than overbearing is how a war hero should represent themselves. I don’t want the galaxy to grovel at my feet? I just want peace… and time to heal. I think that’s something we can all agree on.”</p>
<p>“Well said, Commander. Spoken like a true Spectre.” Nihlus said from his position near one end of the table. Solana sat with him, her hand resting atop his between their place settings.</p>
<p>Shepard huffed a faint laugh and glared at the red plated turian down the length of the table. She wasn’t sure how she felt about retaining her Spectre status after everything she’d been through the last couple of years. Then again, that status might just be one of those ‘privileges’ she’d mentioned. It could afford her the peace she wanted if she exercised it well enough. That was something she thought she might have to look into.</p>
<p>The dull ache across her abdominal wall grew a little sharper and more persistent the longer she stood there answering questions. She knew Garrus noticed the deepening frown lines across her face as the evening wore on. The second the press turned their attention back to Anderson, she practically dropped into her chair.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus watched her in growing concern. She’d grown paler by the minute under the lights of the drones. He noticed a bead of sweat forming at her hairline and glanced at Anderson. The second he was certain he had the man’s attention, he gave a sharp shake of his head. Anderson took the hint and drew the press back to himself with talk of the recovery efforts.</p>
<p>When Shepard dropped into her chair, Garrus put a hand over the one she pressed against her abdomen. Concern colored his sub-harmonics and he noticed the song of the rachni at the edges of his awareness. “You alright?”</p>
<p>“Just tired.” she sighed.</p>
<p>“<em>Maybe</em>… we should go…” Garrus suggested, his mandibles drawing in toward his face.</p>
<p>“I’ll be fine.” she said stubbornly, but the grimace on her face said otherwise. “We should have dinner before we leave, at least.”</p>
<p>The second her brows raised and her lower lip peeled down from her teeth, Garrus opened his omni-tool. “I’m calling Chakwas over here.”</p>
<p>“No… let her enjoy the party. I’m fine.” her words were sharp and breathy as she gripped his wrist.</p>
<p>“You’re not.” Garrus grunted as her grip on his wrist increased to a very painful level. His mandibles snapped to his jaw with a click at the unexpected strength. Her vitals were elevated as her heart rate spiked at the far corner of his visor. “<em>Crap…</em> you’re in labor, Shepard.”</p>
<p>“<em>I’m not! It’s too soon!</em>” she snapped at him and leaned forward a little. She whined very softly as she rested her elbows on the table and pressed her forehead against her hands.</p>
<p>Garrus caught the scent before he heard the spattering of liquid dripping to the floor. His brow-plates drew downward as he glanced toward her chair. There was water everywhere beneath her. He released a shuddering breath and keyed in an urgent message to Chakwas. There was no doubt left in his mind- he was going to be a father… tonight.</p>
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<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Unexpected Delivery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The twins make a their grand entrance into the galaxy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fixed a tiny discrepancy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard glared at Garrus as he got to his feet beside her. She’d felt the release of the liquid that now soaked her seat. Stubbornly, she still denied the obvious. She huffed a bitter laugh quietly as pain rolled across her middle. He was right, she knew it, but she wasn’t about to admit until she absolutely had to.</p><p>“I’ll carry you if I have to, Shepard.” Garrus rumbled softly as his large hand closed over her shoulder.</p><p>“You will <em>not</em>. I can walk.” she growled and pushed herself carefully to her feet. Gasping as more flood ran down her good leg, she leaned heavily on the table. Her voice was low enough she doubted he heard her with the next statement. “Maybe…”</p><p>“Have lab two clicks away. Should take Shepard there. Better equipped than banquet hall.” Mordin murmured near them barely a heartbeat later.</p><p>“I’m <em>fine!</em>” Shepard snarled as pain clamped down on her middle.</p><p>“Garrus correct in assumption. Labor increasing… birth… imminent.” Mordin confirmed her fears.</p><p>“<em>No</em>… it’s too soon…” Shepard gasped out in a whining tone and squeezed her eyes shut against another wave of agony. “It’s too soon.”</p><p>“Twins say otherwise… Ready to be born.” Mordin reassured her. “Can’t give birth naturally… risk to you and twins… too great.”</p><p>“Your bedside manner… <em>sucks</em>,” she hissed at him.</p><p>“Good thing not near bedside.” Mordin smiled and she wanted nothing more than to rip his lips off. “Twins coming tonight. Have already planned for possibility. Chakwas and Lawson meeting us there. Setting up small surgical room in lab in case of emergency.”</p><p>“Karin will miss the dinner.” Shepard whined and hated herself for the vulnerability. She glared at the salarian then as Garrus took her arm and guided her toward a rear door. “I thought Miri was still on the station.”</p><p>“Released from holding cell. Returned to surface last night.” Mordin nodded with that smile on his face again. “Missing banquet… inevitable. Acceptable reason. Happy to trade meal to assist in delivery of new species. Eat later… when condition stable.”</p><p>Shepard meant to snap at the salarian and instead ended up moaning in pain. She would have collapsed the second they stepped into the hallway if not for her bondmate’s strong arms. When he swung her up into his arms, she wanted nothing more than to growl at him to put her down. <em>Suck it up and deal with it, soldier. You can’t make it under your own power and you know it</em>, she growled at herself instead.</p><p>“Have car at rear exit. Easier to transport Shepard to lab in vehicle than arms.” the salarian nodded at Garrus then.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus hurriedly carried her down the hall, following the salarian toward the rear exit. He thought about ringing the amphibian’s neck, but followed him out into the night instead. Worry blossomed in his mind and he tried to push it aside. So many things could go wrong. He kicked himself for not taking more precautions when they were together. <em>You didn’t know she was going to conceive. It shouldn’t have been possible. Why would you be worried about contraceptives under those circumstances? Think, Vakarian, and stop worrying</em>. He knew the anxiety wouldn’t settle down until he was sure his family was going to be alright.</p><p>Cringing at the chill in the air, he followed Mordin to the car in question. Somehow it seemed smaller than the vehicles he was used to on the Citadel. Carefully settled Shepard into the back seat, he climbed in after her. He realized that it was smaller than those on the Citadel had been. <em>Must be a human specific design</em>.</p><p>The design didn’t matter as much as the speed when the salarian took his place at the controls. Garrus was practically thrown against the seat before he’d even managed to close the door. He glared death at Mordin as he settled himself into a more comfortable position.</p><p>“Lead foot much, Mordin?” Shepard snickered clearly still in pain.</p><p>“Timing crucial to overall health and success of birth.” Mordin said simply.</p><p>It didn’t long to reach the building in question. Garrus eyed it suspiciously as he climbed out of the car. The front face was still intact, but the left wing had collapsed. He thought it might have been a Reaper’s foot that had done the damage.</p><p>“Building damaged, but still functional. Took what we could get on short notice. Chakwas already here. Lawson still in transit. Take Shepard inside.” Mordin nodded and opened his omni-tool before heading toward the building.</p><p>Once he had a mildly protesting Shepard securely in his arms again, he followed the salarian inside. The sight of the former medical facility sent a jolt of anxiety pinging through his carapace. He hated hospitals. His mother had been in one for a time after her accident and then again after the diagnosis of her Corpalis Syndrome.</p><p>More recently, he’d sat in a hospital room with Shepard watching her belly grow. All the while, he’d begged her to open her eyes… just for a few minutes. He thought he might have given anything to hear her voice. Now he kicked himself for the vaguests of ideas of offering up the unknown child she carried just to have her back. He hadn’t known then that it was twins and he hadn’t known just how attached he was going to become.</p><p>Long legs gobbling up the distance, it didn’t take long to reach the room the salarian spoke of. There was a bed just a couple of steps above an exam table directly across from the door. He made for that at Mordin’s indication.</p><p>Settling her on the bed, Garrus silently begged any deity that might still be listening to his people to protect his family. The twins and Shepard’s scents were so mingled that he couldn’t tell what they were and he didn’t care just then. He wanted them alive and healthy in his and their mother’s arms. Their mother, he needed her safe and sound and healthy in his arms. Nothing else would do. The thought of losing her again was too much for his tormented mind to bear and so he pushed it aside ruthlessly.</p><p>Looking around the room, he realized the Normandy’s medical staff had gone out of their way to ensure a clean and well equipped environment to deliver his chicks.. Some of the rooms had already been reconstructed. It looked as if special care had been taken to reconstruct as much of this wing of the facility as possible. The construction workers must have moved the medical equipment in there at Mordin’s request earlier that week.</p><p>“Timing critical. Must start now.” Mordin said and pointed toward the hallway. “Wait till called.”</p><p>“Mordin, we might have to put her under. Her cybernetics won’t allow for much pain deadening.” Miranda said the moment she stepped through the door.</p><p>Garrus glanced between the two of them barely controlling the growl building in his sub-harmonics. He had stepped to the head of the bed hoping he was out of the way. The second Miranda glared at him, he knew there was going to be trouble.</p><p>“Out! Now! We don’t have time for this, Garrus.” Miranda barked, sounding every bit the military woman she’d grown into under Shepard’s command.</p><p>The turian bristled at the order. With a shake of his head, he growled. “No, I’m staying.” </p><p>Miranda stepped toward him then with a determined look on her face. “Don’t make me restrain and remove you. You know I will. You <em>can’t</em> be in here during surgery.”</p><p><em>Surgery… spirits! Is her pregnancy really that dangerous? </em>Grumbling quietly and struggling to control the keen, he stepped outside the room and was closed out. Hours seemed to pass as he paced back and forth before the door. He barely noticed a few of the Normandy’s crew popping up to offer support. Those around the table closest to them had figured out what was going on quickly when he’d helped her out of the banquet hall. They hadn’t seen him swing her up into his arms and charge down the hall after the salarian.</p><p>“You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor, boy.” Natearus said quietly at his shoulder.</p><p>Garrus stopped his pacing and glared at her. The asari wasn’t wearing the smug smile she normally did. Instead, there was a look of concern on her face. His own expression softened at that. He spotted his father coming around the corner up ahead and headed toward him.</p><p>“Any word?” Castis asked, his tone subdued. A note of sympathy thrummed through his sub-harmonics.</p><p>Garrus gave him a sharp shake of his head. He didn’t trust his voice to remain steady. His head swung toward the closed door when the high pitched half chirp, half cry filtered through it. A moment later, a second cry joined it. If not for his father’s steadying hands, he might have staggered into the wall behind him.</p><p>“I... <em>think</em> I might be... a <em>grand</em>father.” Castis hummed very quietly, an odd look pinning itself to his face.</p><p>“And it suits you.” Natearus said, that smug smile creeping across her face.</p><p>Garrus ignored them as he headed back toward the door. His mandibles had tucked themselves so tightly against his face that he thought he could almost chew on them. When the door opened, they fluttered in anticipation. Dr. Chakwas was smiling at him as she ushered him inside.</p><p>*</p><p>Propped up as she was, Shepard didn’t notice much pain. It had taken them longer to find the right combination of meds to numb her than the surgery itself. She’d refused to be put under, insisting they find another way. Thankfully, they had done just that and she was awake to meet her twins.</p><p>Shepard looked up when Garrus stumbled through the door. She almost laughed at the resemblance between him and a terrified cat in that moment. Glancing down at the two squirming bundles resting against her chest, she looked up and smiled at him.</p><p>“C’mere… <em>daddy</em>… They want to meet you.” her voice was barely more than a whisper.</p><p>Garrus took a few cautious steps toward her when Dr. Chakwas nodded the ok. His eyes were locked on her face, searching it for any sign of distress. The second he reached the side of the bed, his hand was cupping her face, his plated brow pressing against her forehead.</p><p>When she flicked her eyes toward their twins, he shifted enough to glance toward them. She heard his breath catch sharply as one hand reached toward the blanket the child nearest him was wrapped in. A look of pure adoration spread across his face at the sight. He sank into a squatted position beside the bed then, his legs clearly having failed him.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus stared at his son. The scent coming off the chick closest to him was decidedly male. He was nearly as tiny as a newborn turian. Silvery down covered what he could see of the boy. Ever so carefully, he lowered the blanket from his face with a gloved talon. The baby yawned, mandibles spreading wide enough to see the thick membrane sealing his cheeks. A pale purplish tongue peeked out to lick at the nearly fused upper mouth plates. The edges of those plates, Garrus realized were curved ever so slightly in a suggestion of human lips.</p><p>There were differences and the turian noted each one. The spines of the boy’s fringe were little more than tiny quills, much softer than normal, even in a newborn. Of course, he’d already noticed the membrane sealing the boy’s cheek openings. The tips of the mandibles were missing the second ‘whisker’.</p><p>Garrus noted a few more differences as he carefully rubbed a finger over the tiny hand. Four clawed fingers latched onto the end of his finger and he thought his heart might burst at the grip. When the infant’s eyes opened and rolled toward his face he realized they were decidedly turian, but there were faint eyelashes. A frown creased his son’s face a second before his finger was pulled into the boy’s mouth.</p><p>Turians didn’t suck as a general rule. They’re mouths weren’t designed for it, but his boy was doing a decent job of it. He could feel the shape of the boy’s mouth as he gnawed on that finger as well. No teeth and a joined gumline in the front suggested a more human shape to his skull.</p><p>“What do you think… daddy? Does junior pass inspection?” Shepard asked softly.</p><p>Garrus nodded and shifted enough to press his mouth plates to her lips. He had yet to look the girl over, but he’d caught her scent the moment he’d squatted down. She whimpered with a faint chirp and sub-harmonic vibration beside her twin.</p><p>“Come around to the other side and meet your daughter.” Shepard whispered.</p><p>Barely managing to lever himself back up to his full height, he did as she asked. He noticed the same differences in her as her twin. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she squirmed. A piercing cry tore from her open mouth and Garrus acted on instinct. Careful as if she were made of glass, he plucked the girl from her mother’s chest and tucked the tiny infant to the left of his keel. His hands practically swallowed her, but it didn’t matter. The tone of her sub-harmonics changed the instant she was pressed against his chest. She grunted, almost a cooing sound humming through her then.</p><p>“I think she’s a daddy’s girl already.” Chakwas said with a smug smile from across the room.</p><p>“Hmmm… maybe.” Garrus hummed, his mandibles spreading in a small smile as he looked down at the little one pressed against his chest plates. He shifted her enough to tuck into the crook of his arm. It was then that her eyes opened, the normally slitted female pupil wasn’t as pronounced as it would have been in a pure turian infant. Where her brother’s eyes were a match for his own, her eyes were amber. They were a few shades lighter than his father’s. It was a striking contrast to her nearly white plates and the protective down that covered them.</p><p>“Careful, Shepard. It looks like your husband’s in love.” Miranda said playfully at his shoulder as she looked at the infant in his arms.</p><p>“New species needs name.” Mordin murmured across the room at a microscope. The salarian tossed out a few ideas then. “Turian/human hybrids… turmans, humians, perhaps thurians… tumans”</p><p>“What about terrans? Humans don’t refer to ourselves as terrans because we renamed our world Earth. But in the old world, it was Terra.” Shepard suggested.</p><p>“Somehow… I get the feeling that if we name their species Terran… we’ll have a pair of terrors on our hands. Are you sure you want to do that, Shepard?” Garrus said quietly.</p><p>“In that case, I think the species name can wait… at least a little while.” Shepard gave him that lopsided smile she knew he adored. “Our babies need names, lover. Any ideas?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. First Moments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The first moments of parenthood are viewed as some of the most critically adorable.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Our... babies…</em> That was a foreign concept to him if ever there was one. Garrus glanced down at the newborn chick secured in the crook of his arm and his heart swelled. This was love, but it was different than any he’d ever known before. His father had once told him that becoming a parent was the greatest love he’d ever known. The turian thought he might understand that statement now with his tiny daughter in his arms.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of holding her and allowing her to take his scent, he knew it was time to tend to his son. Both chicks needed his scent for the paternal bond. Very carefully, he settled the girl into Shepard’s waiting arm and circled around to the boy. The girl screeched and he heard a distinctive dual-toned chuckle behind him. He had the boy tucked against his chest seconds before he glanced over his shoulder to see his father leaning in the doorway.</p>
<p>Garrus glanced down at his son as the boy’s nose plates crinkled together, taking in his scent. He wasn’t sure what his father would say about his newborn chicks. After all, they weren’t pure turian. They weren’t human either. The twins were something new in the galaxy, something that had never existed before… and might never exist again. His father was a by-the-book kind of turian. He wasn’t sure what kind of reaction to expect. <em>I don’t think it will be all ‘rainbows and butterflies’, as the humans say</em>. Nearly anything could come out of Castis’ mouth and that was what scared him the most. The fears of how his children might look, and of fatherhood itself, paled next to that.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Castis leaned in the doorway and watched his son for a few minutes. He noted the care he exercised in returning the girl to the commander. When he stumbled around the bed and ever so carefully lifted the boy from Shepard’s arms, he realized his son was doting over them. <em>He’ll spoil those chicks. Spirits… they’ll turn into little monsters</em>.</p>
<p>Sighing, he shook his head and stepped forward into the room. “Be sure you don’t hold them every time they chirp. You’ll spoil them.”</p>
<p>“Nothing wrong with a little spoiling…” Shepard murmured as she repositioned the girl.</p>
<p>Castis chuckled and shook his head. “You don’t want them spoiled, trust me, Commander. You will have a pair of unruly terrors on your hands.”</p>
<p>“Speaking from experience?” Shepard asked, a wry smile on her face as she glanced up at him.</p>
<p>A quiet cough escaped him at that and he wiped a hand over his mouth, pulling his fingers over the ‘whiskers’ of his mandibles in mild embarrassment. “Let’s just say… Solana could have used… a <em>little</em> more discipline.”</p>
<p>Garrus was staring at him then, the second knuckle of his forefinger being gnawed on by the boy. He didn’t seem to notice it. “You’ve got to be kidding me… <em>You</em> let Sol get away with murder, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“It’s practically a law with the firstborn,” Castis said, clasping his hands behind his back. He was barely controlling the flick of his mandibles in a satisfied smile. The turian still wasn’t sure how he felt about his new grandchildren.</p>
<p>Watching his son and bondmate, he realized the chicks couldn’t have better parents… even if they were hybrids. That was his only hang-up, however. He really didn’t know what to make of that idea. The Council had clearly accepted them as an eventual inevitability. He supposed that must be due to the asari influence. After all, they were able to breed with any species. They clearly thought it was merely a matter of time before the rest of the galaxy followed in their genetic footsteps. <em>Perhaps they’re right</em>.</p>
<p>“Come on, Grandpa… come have a look,” Shepard said as she shifted and settled the girl into her lap.</p>
<p>“I… don’t…” Castis began and couldn’t think of a good excuse to maintain his distance.</p>
<p>“You know you’re curious. I can see it in your face.” the commander released a quiet laugh.</p>
<p>“How did you get so good at reading turian faces? Most humans can’t tell a smile from a scowl,” Castis rumbled softly.</p>
<p>“You really have to ask?” Her laugh came again as she glanced at his son.</p>
<p>“I suppose not,” he conceded and took a cautious step forward. Stopping beside the bed, he looked down at the chick thoughtfully. Aside from a couple of obvious differences, she looked turian.</p>
<p>“Chicks neither human nor turian… need parental enzymes for digestion. Human milk… insufficient for nutritional needs. Same problem with dextro food sources...” Mordin said from his microscope.</p>
<p>“What do we need to do?” Garrus asked quietly as he squatted down beside Shepard with his son still in his arms.</p>
<p>“Normal turian process… add one more step. Mix human mother’s milk before feeding. Don’t ingest levo milk… breaks down too much.”</p>
<p>“I’ll leave you to it…” Castis said and took his leave of them quickly. He had a fair idea of what his son was going to be required to do.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Garrus glared after his father for a couple of heartbeats before his attention returned to his new family. <em>Crap… Shepard’s not going to like this part</em>. He rumbled quietly in mild distress and his new son squirmed, sensing it.</p>
<p>“I’m… not gonna like this… am I?” Shepard asked, her eyes locked to his face.</p>
<p>“No… I doubt it.” Garrus answered softly.</p>
<p>“Turians share avian feeding requirements.” Mordin supplied with a smile. “Shepard being human… cannot participate in digestive process.”</p>
<p>“Ugh… this is gonna be awful, isn’t it?” Shepard moaned and pressed her free hand to her brow.</p>
<p>“I’m… afraid so…” Garrus murmured and tucked his son between Shepard’s knees with his daughter. He stood and headed over toward the salarian. “What do you need from me, Mordin?”</p>
<p>“Eat this,” Mordin said simply and handed him a bowl of gativa. “Return contents no more than ten minutes.”</p>
<p>“Wait… What does he mean, ‘return the contents…’? If you eat that, there won’t be anything left....” Shepard began and her eyes grew wide as understanding dawned on her face. “Oh… god… you have to eat it and throw it up… don’t you?”</p>
<p>“Hmm… told you, you wouldn’t like it,” Garrus said, his mandibles flaring slightly as he stepped into the bathroom.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“You better come up with a better solution, Mordin,” Shepard growled at the salarian.</p>
<p>“Already have idea. Need basis to start from. Need milk from you also.” the salarian said as he walked over to her and handed her a small pump device.</p>
<p>“What is this?” she grumbled at him.</p>
<p>“Breast pump… to collect milk.” Mordin nodded. “Smart, will figure it out.”</p>
<p>“Have I told you lately that you’re a dick?” Shepard grumbled at the salarian.</p>
<p>Mordin simply chuckled and went back to his microscope humming ‘scientist salarian’. Grumbling to herself, Shepard looked the thing over. <em>How hard could it be?</em> It looked simple enough. It took her barely a minute to figure the thing out. When she turned it on, she let out a screech of her own.</p>
<p>“Oh, holy fuck!” Shepard yelped. She looked down at the two squirming babies Lying on the bed between her knees then. “You two hate me later in life… and I will murder you both for this.”</p>
<p>Garrus looked a little pale around the neck as he stepped out of the bathroom with the bowl. His brow plates raised in question as he glanced at her with the pump attached and humming away.</p>
<p>“Don’t ask…” she growled and glanced back at the bottle collecting her milk.</p>
<p>“Still warm… good. Must keep warm until second sample collected.” Mordin hummed.</p>
<p>“You mean we won’t have to do this regularly?” Garrus asked, a note of relief creeping into his voice.</p>
<p>“Will synthesize necessary nutrient supplements to be added to Shepard’s milk. Should be sufficient. Once teeth come in… chew chicks’ food… normal turian process. Add levo supplements.”</p>
<p>The salarian continued to hum to himself even when he stepped over to retrieve the ‘sample’ from her. It didn’t take him long to follow through on his word. By the time both chicks were actively yelling for food, he had something ready. He handed Shepard a bottle and Garrus the other. The commander inspected the bottle before carefully cradling one of the twins and allowing the child to latch onto the double-length nipple. It was a fairly smooth process after that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Six months have passed since the birth of the twins. Shepard and Garrus find themselves in an unlikely place about to settle into the ideal home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Virmire; Shepard still wasn’t sure how she felt about being back here. True, the planet was arguably the best place in the entire galaxy in regards to climate; and the Reapers hadn’t torn it apart like so many other worlds. It had everything she and Garrus wanted; a warm tropical environment with cool evenings, white sandy beaches and beautiful oceans. The turian wasn’t necessarily interested in the oceanic part of the world, but everything else seemed to fit like a glove.</p><p>Anderson had suggested they look into one of the many unclaimed coastal plots zoned for safe habitation. Of course, he’d suggested one on the other side of the world from their doomed mission so long ago. The Council would ensure they were left in peace, if that was what they wanted. He’d said it was the very least the galaxy owed them after all they’d done to ensure the continuation of life.</p><p>There was also the fact that the man had offered her his seat on the Council. He’d claimed he needed to take Hackett’s place. As the head of the Alliance, he felt he could better serve the best interests of Earth. Shepard knew, however, that he simply didn’t want to deal with the paperwork or diplomacy involved in being Earth’s Councilor.</p><p>Shepard had politely declined the position. Her reasoning was sound; her bond to Palaven’s Primarch could all too easily be seen as lending too much power to the Hierarchy. The balance of power among the Council was delicate and must be maintained. So, she’d suggested Ambassador Osoba for the position. As a result, the Council pinned a title on her anyway. She was officially Earth’s ambassador to Palaven. It was what Garrus called a token title, but it allowed the politicians to feel a little more at ease.</p><p>Glancing at her bondmate now, she gave him a small smile when his eyes met hers. In order to maintain his inactive military status he’d had to fully accept his position as Primarch. One of his first acts in that capacity was to appoint General Corinthus as his advisor. He’d abdicated a fair amount of power to the man to ensure the rebuilding efforts ran smoothly. The rest he could do via QEC as his physical presence wasn’t necessarily required.</p><p>*</p><p>Now Shepard stared at the monitor attached to the forward bulkhead as the shuttle blazed through the atmosphere toward the surface. They were headed toward the southern hemisphere on the opposite side of the world from the bomb site. There was a house being completed on a beach somewhere out there.</p><p>Smiling down at her infant son squirming in her lap, Shepard allowed the boy to grasp her fingers and wiggled his hands as she spoke to him, “What do you think, Tiberius? You wanna swim here when you’re older?”</p><p>“Turians don’t swim, sweetie.” Garrus reminded her for the umpteenth time.</p><p>Giving him a smug look, she glanced back down at the six month old and gently squeezed the thick little cheeks beneath the flared mandibles. “Ignore daddy. He’s just jealous of your little cheekies.”</p><p>Garrus rumbled a quiet laugh and shook his head as he chewed a small bite of his protein bar. Their daughter chirped hungrily when he pinched some of it from his mouth between his forefinger and thumb to offer her. She eagerly sucked it off his fingers and continued to gnaw at them. It was a process they’d grown accustomed to over the last couple of months as the twins began to wean off the ‘crop milk’ substitute Mordin had formulated.</p><p><em>Mordin</em>...the thought of the old salarian drew a faint frown to her face. He was moving slower these days. His age was almost certainly catching up with him. He hadn’t let any of them out of his sight for more than a week at a time over the last six months. At least not until he was sure that the twins dietary needs were stable. </p><p>Still, they knew he had fewer days ahead than behind him. The remainder of his life would likely be measured in months now rather than years. After all, he was nearly fifty-four now. He was the oldest living salarian in history. Already, he’d made plans for his remains once his time came. STG would take his body and study all the modifications and medical treatments he’d done to extend his life so much longer. With a little luck and a lot of research, the salarian people might extend their overall lifespan by another decade from that research. At least that was his hope. He considered it a worthy cause. Shepard had to agree.</p><p>As the shuttle slowed for touchdown, Shepard carefully tucked her son into the carrier strapped to her chest. He squirmed, but his sub-harmonics vibrated contentedly. It hadn’t taken her long to realize some of the changes her cybernetics had made in her core make up allowed her to hear and understand so much more of the turian sub-language.</p><p>When the hatch opened, Garrus offered her a hand up with a loving rumble and she accepted it. She might not understand the exact words of that sub-language yet, but she knew their meaning from the tones. Every sound he made, every word he uttered carried an undercurrent from his sub-harmonics. His voice thrummed with love and devotion whenever he spoke to her. It was similar, but decidedly different when he spoke to their children.</p><p>Shepard entwined their fingers as they stepped out of the shuttle onto the white sands of their new home. They’d lived in that tiny apartment on Earth for six months and it had been enough, but she knew they needed more as the twins grew. A part of her still couldn’t believe they were real. Sometimes she expected to wake up in the rubble of the Citadel and discover the aftermath was nothing more than a delusion of her dying mind. There was a good chance, she knew, that it all could be little more than a coma dream. If it was, she was fairly certain she didn’t want to awaken from it. <em>I couldn’t live in a galaxy without Garrus in it. There’s no way to know if he survived what the Crucible did if this is just a coma dream</em>. She pushed that thought as far away as her mind would let her. Eventually it would come back to haunt her, but she refused to examine it too closely now. There were too many variables to consider.</p><p>Garrus must have noticed the shift in her mood and the disquiet that was settling over her. He squeezed her hand gently and glanced down at her. She hadn’t realized she was humming faintly in distress. It was something still so new to her, altered by her cybernetics in the months before the Crucible. She didn’t have the secondary larynx to produce the same kind of sub-harmonic tones her bondmate did, but the secondary set of vocal cords all humans had were compensating in a rather unique manner. She didn’t think anything of it until Garrus had begun to respond to it as he did now.</p><p>“It’s not a dream, ma-kee-sa. We’re here,” Garrus rumbled softly</p><p>“I know… It just feels…” Shepard shook her head for a moment, searching for the right words.</p><p>“A little overwhelming?” he asked as they stood on the beach and stared at the house.</p><p>“Not quite what I was going for, but… yeah,” she answered, wrapping her arms around his right arm and clinging to him.</p><p>“We’re home,” he said softly and brought her hand up to his mouth, feathering the tip of his tongue across her knuckles quickly.</p><p>“We are,” Shepard nodded with a sigh as they stepped away from the shuttle.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus watched her closely for a while as Shepard prowled the house. If she’d been turian, he’d have said she was nesting. But, he knew humans went through a similar process and decided to leave it at that. Glancing around himself, he realized the Alliance and the Hierarchy had outdone themselves with the place. Every room was laid out efficiently. Both human and turian designed furniture occupied the sprawling rooms. The first floor was laid out much like Anderson’s apartment had been on the Citadel.</p><p>The second floor had a similar design, with one small difference that Garrus had insisted on. He’d kept it quiet, not even telling his bondmate. Now he hoped she liked it. After all, it had been home for nearly two years.</p><p>Following her upstairs, he let out a pleased rumble when she gasped and smiled at the layout of the master bedroom. The architect had gotten it right and the Alliance had supplied the furnishings. The difference was the bed. That was a turian design and had proven much more comfortable to humans than anyone had imagined it would be.</p><p>“It’s home.” Shepard breathed out a sigh of relief at the master bedroom.</p><p>Garrus had gone to great lengths to get every detail right, complete with the model cases and Shepard’s extensive collection of ships. The captain’s cabin never looked so good. The major difference was the view. Instead of the fishtank that never seemed capable of maintaining living fish, there was a wall of glass overlooking the sea. It extended down to the sleeping area. The finishing touch was the skylight right over the bed.</p><p>“I… uh… thought maybe… you’d like this.” he said uncertainly as he watched Shepard press her hands to her mouth.</p><p>“You thought right.” she hummed quietly as she rubbed their son’s back gently. The boy was still in the carrier against her chest.</p><p>After a few more minutes, they made their way down the hall to the nursery. Garrus had enlisted the help of both his father and Liara with that. Of course, wherever his father went lately, Natearus was sure to be with him. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but for now, he simply left it alone. That was what Shepard had asked him to do, after all.</p><p>Garrus watched his mate prowl that room as well. She settled their son into his crib before turning to him to take their daughter out of the carrier he’d been toting. Shepard settled her quickly and tucked her in. The chick whimpered the second she was alone in the crib and he couldn’t resist. He stepped over to it and leaned on the railing.</p><p>“Daddy’s right here, Iceira.” he rumbled, but did not reach for her. He’d learned quickly how spoiled she had gotten when he refused to put her down a few months ago. They’d barely gotten any sleep for all the screeching.</p><p>The chick quieted and cooed when she saw him and he backed out of her sight slowly. It seemed to work as she found her toes much more interesting. Garrus still wasn’t sure how she managed to get those toes into her mouth. Apparently the hybrids had flexible human spines.</p><p>The last room upstairs was a spare room, but eventually one of the twins would reside there. For now, the room held Shepard’s small collection of art supplies, an easel and a desk. There was space downstairs for her meager collection later on and he meant to ensure she used it. After all, the windows overlooking the deck and the ocean beyond would provide her with plenty of subject material to paint. His mandibles spread a little as his brow-plates hooded his eyes in a devious thought. <em>Maybe… I’ll pose nude on the deck. Let her paint that to her heart’s content. Yeah…. I like that idea. Give her a real treat. </em><em><span class="u">Maybe</span></em> <em>even blow off a little steam after</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This epic is rapidly drawing to a close. We have at least one or two more chapters left. One of those may give us a full description of our Shepard. There will definitely be a more detailed description of the twins as it progresses.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Life Continues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Life goes on even after a loss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard groaned and rolled over to snuggle into her husband’s side when the sound dragged her out of a dead sleep. It came again, the wailing emergency tone from her omni-tool. Her eyes peeled open and she rolled toward the edge of the bed to open the message.</p><p>
  <em>Sender: tsoni.dr@citadel.95.22.776</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Recipient: shepard.cmdr@alliance.39.44.852</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s Mordin. He collapsed this morning.</em>
</p><p>Shepard stared at the message for every bit of five minutes grappling with the reality of its meaning. Liara would only send an emergency message if something serious had happened. She sat up and took a shuddering breath the second it struck her and sent off a reply. <em>I know where they’ll take him</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Sender: shepard.cmdr@alliance.39.44.852</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Recipient: tsoni.dr@citadel.95.22.776</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’ll be there in two hours.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sender: tsoni.dr@citadel.95.22.776</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Recipient: shepard.cmdr@alliance.39.44.852</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shepard, don’t. He’s… already gone. It looks like the salarian equivalent to a stroke. I’m making the arrangements. His nephew is coming to the station.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was so excited about a seashell he was running tests on last night. It was as big as his head.</em>
</p><p>A sob she hadn’t realized was building escaped her then and she closed the omni-tool to wipe her hands over her face. She felt the bed shift beside her seconds before a pair of turian arms wrapped around her. Leaning into him, she clung to Garrus and allowed the tears to flow freely.</p><p>“At least he was enjoying himself,” Garrus murmured near her ear and she realized he must have received the same message from Liara.</p><p>*</p><p>A memorial service was held on the Citadel a few days later. Mordin’s accomplishments were listed, honors were given and acknowledged. Garrus thought the service was fitting. He’d learned a little something about salarian customs over the last two years in an effort to prepare for the inevitable.</p><p>As much as the old salarian delighted in shocking him, Mordin had been his friend. It was harder to say goodbye to him than he had thought it would be. After all, Mordin was responsible for ensuring his children survived their first weeks of life. It was Mordin who developed the proper mix of dextro/levo nutrient supplements they would need to maintain a healthy diet throughout their lives. And it was Mordin who checked in on them regularly over the last two years.</p><p>Garrus realized as he stood with his bondmate through the service, that without Mordin, their children might never have existed in the first place. The genophage cure, the final product that had resulted from Maelon’s research, was Mordin’s ultimate achievement. Exposure to it had set the changes into motion that had allowed Shepard to conceive the twins in the first place.</p><p>“Only salarian I didn’t wanna eat,” Wrex said solemnly at his other side, clapping a hand to his shoulder when the service concluded.</p><p>“He will be missed,” Liara said quietly near Wrex as the krogan stepped away.</p><p>“He already is,” Shepard confirmed with a nod.</p><p>“That’s the thing about losing loved ones... life continues… rather we’re ready to move on or not.” Garrus rumbled softly at his mate’s side.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus stretched languidly and yawned, licking the inside of his upper mouth plates. Not quite fully awake, he considered the merits of rolling over and drifting off again. The quiet thudding of small feet, the giggles and breathy whispers drew him further into wakefulness, however. He barely had time to tense his abdominal muscles beneath his plates before the pounce came. Still, it drew a sharp wheezing grunt out of him. Opening his eyes, he glared at the boy sitting on his middle for half a heartbeat.</p><p>“I’ve got you now, Tiberius!” Shepard hissed as she snatched their son off his belly.</p><p>A rumble of laughter thrummed through Garrus the instant his bondmate pinned the boy between them and relentlessly tickled his sides until he squealed. He had to brace himself against the knee that drilled into his groin plates when his daughter bounded over him to join the fun.</p><p>“Cake, cake, cake, cake.” the pair began to chant together and slightly off-key.</p><p>Shepard groaned beside him and flopped back on the bed. “Later.”</p><p>“Sandcastles?” Tiberius asked wistfully and glanced toward the wall of windows facing the sea.</p><p>“You always wanna build castles, Tiber! I wanna build sand ponies.”</p><p>“Nu-uh… you don’t even know what a pony is.” Tiber pouted, crossing his arms.</p><p>“Do too!”</p><p>“Iceira, Tiberius… that’s enough.” Shepard scolded gently as she sat up. “We’re not having another birthday of fighting. Is that clear?”</p><p>“Yes, ma’am.” the pair said in unison, heads hanging.</p><p>“Good. Now… if you wanna go out and play in the surf… I want you both dressed in five minutes. Otherwise, we’re not going anywhere today.” Shepard said, looking them both up and down.</p><p>Garrus pressed a hand over his mouth, forcing his mandibles to remain still as he suppressed the laugh threatening to escape him. The looks on the twins’ faces were absolutely priceless. Wide eyes, open mouths, flared mandibles all presented horrified looks and the sharp intakes of breath added to the effect. Garrus barely managed not to howl in laughter as they jumped off the bed and ran down the hall. The laughter broke free then and he curled on his side, burying his face in a pillow to howl.</p><p>“Liara’s bringing the cake later… along with Lydera.” Shepard sighed and scooted toward the edge of the bed.</p><p>Garrus reached out and captured her waist. He drew himself up into a seated position and practically towered over her even then. The purr rumbled out of him as his mandibles flicked faintly. “I… don’t think I dismissed you... Commander.”</p><p>“Is that so, Primarch?” she smiled up at him with a purr of her own. Before drawing him down to press her forehead against his.</p><p>The kiss was slow and sweet and interrupted by a pair of ‘ews’ coming from their doorway. Garrus chuckled and pressed his plated brow to Shepard’s forehead. Her hair tickled his nose and he snorted faintly.</p><p>“I still say that’s gross, Garrus,” she laughed as she drew away from him.</p><p>*</p><p>Shepard glanced toward the doorway where her children were snickering. Her eyes narrowed at the mismatched sandals on their feet. It literally looked as if they’d snatched one of the other’s shoes. She sighed and shook her head. <em>Let it be… You know they did it on purpose. They’re seven. What seven-year-old doesn’t dress funny?</em></p><p>“Alright, let’s go. Get out so mommy and daddy can get dressed.” Shepard barked and clapped her hands at the two snickering hybrids lingering in the doorway.</p><p>“They’re gonna make noises again,” Tiber whispered to his sister with one mandible canted upward in a grossed-out look.</p><p>“<em>Ewwww</em>,” Iceira gasped and shoved her brother.</p><p>“If you don’t stand outside our door, you won’t hear anything.” Shepard gave them both a knowing look and crossed her arms. “Will you?”</p><p>“But <em>mommy!</em>” both whined, voices and sub-harmonics merging.</p><p>“Nope, doesn’t work. Downstairs, on the double, troops. Grunt will set you up with some breakfast this morning.” Shepard said with a smug smile as their faces transitioned from moping to excited. She’d done well to keep their big brother’s arrival last night quiet.</p><p>Garrus chuckled beside her as the pair turned and ran down the hall. The second their feet hit the stairs, the turian purred near her ear. “They <em>did</em> accuse us of ‘making noises’. You want to make that accusation a reality?”</p><p>“I thought you wanted to get dressed… and have some breakfast too,” Shepard said coyly as she straddled him.</p><p>“Hmm… don’t need it,” he purred, hands wrapping around her waist. “Got everything I need… right here.”</p><p>“Is that so?” she all but purred at him and pressed herself against his groin plates. The dampness she felt there told her his plates were already spreading.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus watched his mate for a few minutes in the early afternoon sun. The breeze coming off the sea blew through the length of her hair, fanning it out around her shoulders like an umber cloud. He’d watched her pale skin grow tan and more beautiful every day they spent soaking up the sun of their tropical home. Her cybernetics had taken a few years to heal the scars the Crucible left, but now her skin was nearly as smooth as it had been when he first met her. Chocolate eyes shaped like almonds glanced back at him from her seat on a towel in the sand and he knew he would gladly lose himself in their depths for the rest of his life.</p><p>The spell was broken when their daughter rushed up, kicking sand on them both in her excitement. Her amber eyes were something of a cross between his father’s and Shepard’s. Somehow he knew she was going to be a troublemaker when she hit adolescence. Right now, however, he enjoyed watching the seven-year-old bounce from turian shaped foot to foot in excitement. All of the baby down was gone now, save for the odd red plumage that took the place of the female fringe. If it hadn’t been for the delicate-looking quills drooping down to her short cowl, he’d have almost called it hair. Her brother shared that feature, but his plumage was decidedly lighter. Shepard called it blonde.</p><p>So lost in examining his family, Garrus barely noticed exactly what his daughter was so excited about. His brow-plates raised a fraction when he saw the curled seashell in her hands. He honestly didn’t understand the obsession.</p><p>“Mordin would have loved this,” Shepard said as she palmed the seashell their daughter had deposited into her hand.</p><p>Garrus squinted in the bright sunlight and shielded his eyes before glancing at the shell in his bondmate’s hand. “At least he saw the house when it was finished.”</p><p>“And made a few modifications to the nursery,” Shepard sighed.</p><p>“Better than we could have hoped for,” Garrus murmured thinking of the old salarian and all the help he’d offered them in the first two years with the twins.</p><p>“I just wish….” Shepard began and didn’t finish the statement.</p><p>Garrus knew what she would say. She wished there had been a way to extend the salarian’s life just a little longer. In reality, Mordin had lived longer than any salarian in history. He made it to fifty-four and salarian biochemistry had advanced in leaps and bounds based on what his successors had learned from his body and his research. Generations of salarians now had hope of extending their lifespan beyond the typical forty years. That was Mordin’s legacy to his species.</p><p>“He had a good life,” Garrus said firmly with a nod.</p><p>“He did. I just wish he could have seen them grow.” Shepard sighed and waved a hand at their children who had run back toward the waves to play in the surf.</p><p>“They scare the gizzard out of me every time the waves come in.” Garrus released his own sigh and shaded his eyes again to watch the pair.</p><p>“They can swim, lover. They know how to break free of riptides.” Shepard soothed. “Nana and I taught them, remember.”</p><p>“I… need to….” Garrus began and glanced up at the shadow that flowed over him.</p><p>“Protect them…” Castis finished the sentence as he set a couple of bags down in the sand. “It doesn’t get any easier, son.”</p><p>“<em>Papaw!</em>” The screams of two very excited children carried across the beach as they came running.</p><p>Castis stepped far enough away from Garrus to prevent the twins from trampling him. The second they were within the elder Vakarian’s reach, he snagged each of them around the waist and swung them around before dropping to his knees in the sand. Garrus could hear his father’s laughter as well as the amused rumble of his sub-harmonics as the twins wrapped their arms around his neck and cowl.</p><p>“The two of you are getting <em>far</em> too big,” Castis rumbled, his hand smoothing down Iceara’s hair-like plumage before turning to her brother. “Have you been causing trouble again?”</p><p>“Well….” Tiberius hummed softly and smoothed a hand over his crest, running it over the fuzzy blonde down across his scalp.</p><p>“Uh-huh… <em>that</em> tells me everything I need to know. Your father used to pull the same move,” Castis chuckled.</p><p>“I… dunno… what you’re talking about, Papaw,” Tiberius whined.</p><p>“Come on. I’ll let it slide… because it’s your birthday.” Castis grunted as he climbed slowly to his feet. It was obvious his joints were giving him some pain today. “I have gifts for both of you. And your Nana has a few with her.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We have one chapter left. It's been a hell of a ride. I look forward to your comments.</p><p>If you want the finale tonight, poke me. I'm still debating exactly when to post it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The family they've become, both blood and extended, gather together in a celebration of continuing life as they look to the future with hope.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shepard watched them all thoughtfully throughout the party. She’d expected her bondmate to grumble once again about his father being so close to Nana. Instead, he seemed to finally have accepted the reality of the pairing. Nana and Castis had bonded last year. It was still mindblowing to realize the asari was 1014 now, the oldest asari in all their long history. They could lose her any day, but that hadn’t stopped the pair. The ceremony was brief and no bondmarks were presented. Each had marks from deceased mates. It was something of a shock to learn that Nana had actually been bonded so deeply to another turian. Even more shocking to discover that turian was Lilfrey’s father.</p><p>The party was already underway when Liara showed up with the cake and Lydera in tow. Shepard watched the tiny asari with interest as she wandered around between the coffee table and the seating. She was ten now, but her size and motor skills were equal to a three or four-year-old. Such was the asari rate of aging.</p><p>After watching the child for a while, Shepard realized Liara was the best person to care for the girl. There was no way she and Garrus could handle her with the twins. It would be too much, not to mention the questions the twins were bound to ask. <em> Still don’t know how I feel about that kid anyway. Bound to be an awkward conversation when she’s old enough</em>.</p><p>Garrus was on the edge of his seat, clearly ready to jump into the mix and rescue his babies from Grunt as the krogan thundered through the living room. Shepard put a hand over his on the armrest of his chair and shook her head. She was glad he still opted into wearing his gloves when they had guests. He would have gouged the arms of the chair when he gripped them in distress. Grunt was laughing and the twins were squealing in glee as the krogan thundered out onto the deck, one child under each arm.</p><p>“I’m gonna kill him…” Garrus grumbled softly as he stood and rolled his neck.</p><p>Shepard cringed at the loud crackling and pop that issued past his mandibles. It was an ever-present reminder of the day she nearly lost him. That day on Omega when he’d taken a rocket to the face still haunted her nightmares along with about a million other mistakes and regrets. She’d never quite forgiven herself for not making it back to his base before Tarak fired that rocket, but they’d gotten lucky nonetheless.</p><p>Now she grabbed his hand and shook her head at him the second his icy blue eyes slid toward hers. “They’re having fun. Let them be. You know he’s not gonna hurt ‘em.”</p><p>Garrus grumbled wordlessly, his sub-harmonics rumbling in irritation as he moved around her legs to sit down beside her. She twined her five fingers through his three and rubbed his forearm with her other hand just below the dulled spurs beneath the fabric of his tunic. He sighed, the rumble trailing off into a grunt when they both noticed Castis chuckling quietly on the other side of the room.</p><p>“Bumps, cracked plates, knocks to the crest and fringe… all acceptable collateral damage for roughhousing. You and Solana were much the same when you were little, Garrus,” Castis chuckled, his sub-harmonics thrumming with amusement.</p><p>“You’re not helping,” Garrus grumbled.</p><p>“Oh, I think he is, dear.” Nana purred in a scandalous tone as she sat on the arm of Casts’ chair. She squealed when the elder Vakarian hauled her into his lap with a rumble.</p><p>“I’m… uh… going to check on Liara and that cake,” Garrus said uncomfortably and shot to his feet. He was through the wide doorway into the kitchen before the others could say a word.</p><p>*</p><p>Garrus bolted into the kitchen and leaned on the island counter. Some part of him knew he was being irrational about the whole thing. His dad deserved to be happy again, after all. <em> But why did it have to be Natearus? He could have chosen anyone else</em>.</p><p>“Something wrong, Garrus?” Liara asked from near the refrigerator.</p><p>Releasing a rumbling sigh, Garrus rested his elbows on the counter and locked his eyes to her face. He knew she could easily read his expression, from the mandibles pressed tightly to his face to the drawn-down brow-plates and narrowed eyes.</p><p>The asari wiped off the knife she’d been cutting the cake with and set it aside before crossing the room to him. He caught her glance toward the living room and he knew the scene she was taking in. The chaos on the deck in the growing twilight wasn’t likely to slip her notice either.</p><p>“Why did it have to be Natearus?” he asked softly when the asari stopped beside him.</p><p>“Did you consciously choose Shepard?” she asked simply.</p><p>The turian glared at her for a moment before his expression softened and he shook his head. “No.”</p><p>“The heart chooses who it will. We are powerless in directing its choice.” Liara stated and glanced back toward the living room. “His could have chosen far worse than Natearus.”</p><p>“That’s not what bothers me… it’s her age. She could… go… anytime and leave him heartbroken and alone.” Garrus admitted reluctantly.</p><p>“Shepard could do the same to you, or you to her…. At <em> any </em> time. I see no difference. We must simply accept the time we have with our loved ones, however long it is.” Liara said with an air of wisdom he hadn’t expected from her.</p><p>“You’re right… I know it deep down,” Garrus sighed and shook his head.</p><p>“Of course I am.” Liara gave him a smile and a pat on the shoulder. “Now, come help me with this cake. It’s dual chirality, so everyone can eat it.”</p><p>Garrus started to grumble before the doorbell rang. He barely controlled the flick of his mandibles in amusement before heading in that direction. “I… should get that.”</p><p>“By the goddess… you get out of domestic chores more than Javik,” Liara grumbled and went back to what she’d been doing when he entered the room.</p><p>Garrus opened the door expecting to see Wrex or maybe Nihlus and Solana. Instead, he found Adams and Jane standing there. The clone looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else but there. His brow-plates felt as if they might crawl completely to the end of his fringe when he saw the baby carrier hanging from Adams’ left hand. The other hand held the strap of a diaper bag. The baby in the carrier grunted and a muffled fart rumbled through the silence.</p><p>“I… didn’t see... <em> this </em> coming,” Garrus breathed as he stepped aside to allow them entry.</p><p>“Yeah… I met her in Flux after they rebuilt it… a couple of years ago. Thought she was Shepard at first. Found out about an hour later she was a clone. We hit it off though and the rest… is history.” Adams said self-consciously.</p><p>“I thought you and Chakwas…” Garrus began awkwardly as he led them into the living room.</p><p>“Oh… no, no, no… Furthest thing from my mind there. Good friend, don’t get me wrong, but...” Adams puffed out a breath as he set the carrier down. “Well, she’s got this idea that synthetics can’t really be people… and I don’t agree.”</p><p>Jane set her packages down and waved her open hands at the baby. The engineer bent down and released the baby from the carrier. He handed the infant to her and the smell wafted up to them all.</p><p>“Oh yeah… that’s ripe. He needs to be changed,” Jane said, her expression so much like Shepard’s had been when the twins were in diapers.</p><p>The smell hit Garrus full force then and he coughed faintly. Pointing toward the hallway leading off the living room and kitchen, he waved her off. “Bathroom’s that way. Big counter, doubles as a changing table.”</p><p>“Thanks.” she nodded and snatched the diaper bag from Adams to hurry out of the room.</p><p>“I gotta get that,” Garrus said when the doorbell rang again and Adams nodded in understanding.</p><p>The next cluster of the Normandy’s old crew didn’t wait for him to open the door. Tali was the first one through, her omni-tool open as she entered. Kal'Reegar followed close on her heels. Jeff limped in, supported by EDI and Wrex brought up the rear. They must have seen the disappointment on his face as he glanced behind them.</p><p>“The Spectre and your sister are still at the shuttle with a couple of armloads of junk for your whelps.” Wrex laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Better be careful, kid. She’s hormonal.”</p><p>“Excuse me?” Garrus breathed, not sure he wanted to grasp the meaning of that particular nugget of information.</p><p>Wrex laughed and drew an imaginary ball over his belly before passing him and yelling, “<em>Shepard! </em>”</p><p>“Oh, crap…” Garrus sighed the second the meaning struck him and his sister came into view. “Of course she’s pregnant. I may murder Nihlus yet.”</p><p>“That might not be the best idea, Vakarian,” Miranda said coming toward the door from the right.</p><p>“The cheerleader’s right. Take it from me, you don’t wanna end up in a prison cell.” Jack laughed and draped her arm over Miranda’s shoulders.</p><p>Garrus let out a breath at the sight of them hanging all over each other and shook his head. “I need a drink.”</p><p>“I know you’re not plannin’ to hit the booze without us,” James called as he and Lilfrey started to pass his sister and Nihlus up. When he glanced their way, he must have noticed Solana’s condition. “Whoa… when did <em> that </em> happen?”</p><p>Garrus watched the hulking human stop and grab several bags from his sister when his eyes landed on her rounded belly. Solana attempted to protest and the man simply told her ‘nope’ as he hurried away with them. She stomped a foot in frustration and Nihlus rumbled a laugh as he put a hand to her waist, encouraging her to follow the human.</p><p>*</p><p>“You’re kidding me?” Shepard asked as Adams sat down on the couch across from her. “You and my clone? Really?”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess that does seem a little weird, but you can’t blame me. Hell, she’s an incredible tech. Gobbles up information like a sponge… and holds onto it too,” Adams defended himself.</p><p>“But…. she’s a <em> clone </em> … of <em> me </em>,” Shepard protested.</p><p>“Well, that’s not entirely wrong, but she’s still her own person. I mean, you’re not a tech… you have virtually zero aptitude for programming, and… you’re about the meanest woman I’ve ever met.” Adams leaned forward, elbows on his knees with a playful smile on his face.</p><p>“You’re just trying to butter me up now,” Shepard grumbled with a smug look spreading across her face that she couldn’t prevent.</p><p>“Is it working?” he chuckled quietly and rubbed his hands together.</p><p>Shepard huffed a laugh and wadded up a napkin, tossing it at him. “I’ll take it as a compliment… It’s still a little unnerving though.”</p><p>“I’ll accept that. Just… don’t freak out when you meet our son,” Adams smiled impishly.</p><p>“Oh god… how old is he?” she leaned back in her seat at that.</p><p>“Three months,” he said as Jane reappeared from the bathroom with the baby in her arms. Adams sat up and waved her toward the seating. “Over here, beautiful.”</p><p>Jane had barely settled next to Greg when an entire brood of little krogan burst into the room. Shepard counted five of them and looked toward the door expectantly. Just as she’d hoped, Bakara came through it with an infant on her hip.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Commander. They’re excited about their first trip off Tuchunka,” the female apologized quickly.</p><p>The piercing screams of happy turian/human hybrids were followed by Grunt’s distinctive laugh as they came bounding into the room to play with the young krogan swarming the between the adults. It was utter chaos.</p><p>“<em>Oh, goddess! </em> Where did <em> they </em> come from?” Liara asked as she brought a tray of cake into the open room.</p><p>“They’re mine,” Wrex said, sounding incredibly exhausted. “You want a couple of ‘em?”</p><p>“Wrex…” Bakara growled a warning.</p><p>“What? We’ve got more. She can take a couple of ‘em,” Wrex muttered darkly as he sprawled in his chair.</p><p>“I don’t think she likes that idea, Wrex,” Shepard snickered.</p><p>“But <em> I </em> do,” Wrex laughed.</p><p>*</p><p>Once Liara passed out the cake and the kids all settled down to make their messes in it, Garrus cracked a bottle of wine for the adults. It was the good stuff since his position as Primarch afforded him the best of anything he wanted. That was to say nothing for his status as one of the heroes of the Reaper War.</p><p>Well after the sun had set, the kids gathered around begging for stories. He’d told them several in the last couple of years, but nothing too graphic. However, there was an air about this night that felt a little different, but he couldn’t quite put his talon on it.</p><p>“Come on, Garrus. Tell them how you met their mother,” Wrex laughed and leaned back, his red eyes locked to the turian.</p><p><em> That’s it, isn’t it? This isn’t just their birthday, but the anniversary of our first meeting </em>. He was about to say something when a tiny Reaper climbed up his leg. His blood ran cold at the sight.</p><p>
  <em> ~We are Sovereign. We will annihilate you. Resistance is Futile.~  </em>
</p><p>“<em>The fuck is that? </em>” Garrus squawked indignantly as he tried to claw his way over the back of the chair.</p><p>“Sorry. I thought the kids turned it off.” Jane said with a wicked little laugh.</p><p>“Yeah… they didn’t,” he growled as she plucked it off his shin and flipped it over to turn it off. “You make that thing?”</p><p>“I did. It’s cute, don’t you think?” Jane laughed and set it on the floor at her feet.</p><p>“About as cute as a dismantled Marauder,” Garrus growled darkly.</p><p>“Story, daddy, story!” Iceira sang and her brother took up the chant.</p><p>“Alright…” Garrus hummed and pressed downward with his hands in an indication for them to quiet down. “How I met your mother… Well, that is a long story. You sure you can stay awake for it?”</p><p>“Pleeeeeaaaaassse?” they both pleaded and the request was taken up by the brood of krogan as well.</p><p>“I was on the Citadel working as a C-Sec officer. Never expected I’d meet <em> Commander </em> Shepard, but....” he began as the kids settled around him to listen. The story took on a life of its own as he delved into those memories and drew the others along with him. A rocky beginning for such a perfect ending.</p><p><em> Not an ending… Never an ending, </em> he thought, looking forward to the future they had built together. <em> Just a new direction </em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's been a wonderful ride this last year and a half. As the saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end'. This fic is no exception. We love these characters and the life that this fic has breathed into them. I will revisit them in the future. They have more stories to tell, of that, I am absolutely certain.</p><p>"Not an ending, just a new direction..."</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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